Blossoming Roses

Chapters

Uprooting
Sprinkling
Planted
Sealing
Sprouting
Wilted
Deadhead
Bolting
Pesticide
Bareroot
Germinate
Blossom
Hybrid
Herbicide
Sapling
Bloom
Seedling
Weeding
Transplanting

Uprooting

The world fell silent when Fancy Pants brought a blue ribbon to his lips. His eyes set on Fleur in the dim light from the window, her hoof reached to the wall, a brief boom of light and sound from the fireworks outside rang in his ears before the lights above him clicked on. She had a faint smile on her lips, her eyes weary yet only by exhaustion.

Fancy’s eyes shifted to the row of faceless plastic ponies in dresses and suits that sat on their displays, the area around them quite messy with strips of fabric and silk, hasty scribbles of furiously crossed out designs. Very few remained intact without being forgotten in a pile of crumpled paper. The purple carpet was covered in matters like this, one that he told himself that he would need to clean up if he wanted to open shop anytime soon.

“You truly should have tried to loosen up a bit more,” Fleur said, her smile faltering when she trotted over to the white unicorn and pressed a hoof to his cheek. His hooves fumbled with the ribbon that he pulled from his mouth before he twirled it around his hoof. “I know you didn't enjoy yourself all that much. Honestly you never told me what happened to your clothes in front of Hoity.”

“Somepony needed it more than me,” Fancy Pants stated as he tied the ribbon in a knot before running his hoof through his mane. He tied the ribbon around his pulled back mane, the hair out of his eyes and his face exposed. “I have a feeling he wouldn’t appreciate me gossiping.”

“Ooo, a he,” Fleur said with a mischievous giggle. “I didn't know you were the kind of pony to do such naughty things in such a public place with a stranger... at least not for quite a long time.”

“Believe it or not I do have some control over myself compared to fifteen years ago.” Fancy laughed at her teasing smile. He brushed off her hoof to take a few steps forward and into the center of the room. “I’m not like Hoity who has a new boy-toy every other week. I prefer to flirt and tease before I begin to grab."

Fancy's eyes drifted to the large window as he watched an explosion of colors in the sky be set off one by one. Always the same every year, fireworks to start and fireworks to end. The unicorn could hear the rustling of fabric as glanced behind him. His eyes kept watching Fleur wriggle from her red dress, holding it in her hooves with a sigh when she managed to free herself.

“I suppose you chose not to mingle with any stallions tonight?” Fancy Pants questioned the mare as she stroked her hoof through her long mane, setting the red dress on the back of a ponnequin. She shook her head, and in response Fancy Pants did the same.

“I really wish you would put yourself out there more. Not many ponies at the Gala are like the ones who gawk at you in public.” Fancy frowned at her smile as he took a step to her.

“What am I, an innocent little filly?” Fleur giggled at him with a shrug of her shoulders as she stroked her hoof down the red dress. “Please dear, I enjoy the gawking, that’s why I get paid to waltz around in dresses all the time. I don’t mingle because I feel you wouldn’t appreciate ponies who flock to you if they thought you came without a date.”

“So I’m the little colt now?” Fancy Pants questioned with a raise of his brow.

“No, I just figured you didn’t want to deal with it tonight. You seemed stressed enough with the dress dilemma.” Fleur said as she turned to him. The unicorn removed his monocle before he began to fog it up with his breath, wiping it clean with the back of his hoof.

“Honestly don’t remind me of the thing,” The unicorn began to trot to a large desk. With his hoof he fumbled around the inside of a drawer before he emerged with a small box. He opened it with his magic to pull out a thin stick which he brought to his lips.

“I thought you gave up that nasty habit...” Fleur’s words trailed off. Fancy fumbled for a match in the draw, striking it on it's way out and lighting up the stick. He took in a deep breath, opening a window quickly before he leaned out onto the railing.

“So did I.” Fancy stated. He looked to the sky, the faint fireworks in the distance had vanished. Fancy knew that it signaled the Gala had officially concluded. “I bought these last week. First pack in Celestia knows how long... Four years, maybe?”

Fleur was silent, but her face held a slightly disgusted look when the smoke drifted to her nose. Fancy continued to stare out the window and down to the grass between the building across from him. He never bothered to remember what they sold, something about mattresses or furniture.

"Fancy Pants, do you feel alri-"

“I met the Prince tonight,” Fancy Pants spoke up, trying to quickly change the topic. “The Princesses nephew, not the one who married in… He was all alone away from the party.”

“That’s... unusual for him… I hear he prefers to be the center of attention,” Fleur said, her face holding a frown. She thankfully played along with his little game. “He seems a little bratty, full of himself actually.”

“He was actually quiet for the most part," Fancy Pants said, not going into too much detail. “A little bit charming actually. It was actually a nice distraction from… all of this.” He said as he gestured his hoof around the air, spinning it in small circles. He didn't seem to point at anything in particular.

“Is that so?” Fleur questioned. “Well I suppose rumors are just rumors after all. If they were all true we would be an item by now.”

Fancy gave a dry chuckle at that. He brought his free hoof to his temple and began to rub, a headache beginning to pound against his skull. He began to wish that he hadn't attempted to drink that night.

“Are you honestly going to sleep here again tonight?” Fleur questioned him. Her eyes went to a maroon wooden door in the back of the shop. “I really don’t think there will be many customers tomorrow after such a big event, you should go back to your real home tonight, let your hoof maid take care of you for a change. You honestly never live like you have nearly as much money as you do. It's okay to live a little deary, no need to sleep in the back on some boxes."

"I do have a bed here, you realize," Fancy Pants shrugged at her words when he spoke. He rolled his eyes as he pressed the butt of the cigarette into an ashtray that was already on the windowsill. The tray he noticed was growing full all too quickly, and he would have to empty it soon. It was amazing how fast he could go through the sticks when he let his mind wander. There were a few moments of silence that she obviously expected him to fill as he took a long time to blow out the smoke from his breath. "Besides... I gave my hoof maid vacation time for a month."

"Why in Equestria would you do that?" Fleur raised her brow.

"I just..." Fancy Pants struggled to grasp at the words. "I'm not sure."

"Still, it's no place for you. Don't you like your house?" Fluer's tone sounded worried to the stallion. Fancy Pants avoided her gaze.

“I don’t… I honestly don't enjoy how large it is if I’m being honest. A place like that is far to big for a pony to live alone,” Fancy chuckled at his own words as he rested his head onto his hoof, his words slightly muffled with the cigarette between his teeth. He finally took the rest of the stick as he put it out with his magic into the ashtray before turning around, the taste still in his mouth as he rubbed his temple. “I can't stand coming home to all that nothingness. Especially after that horrid dress."

Fleur took a few steps over to his side once more. Her hooves stepped around the crumpled sheets of paper to get by his side, her body leaning up against him. “The dress looked fine, sweetie,” She said, her hoof giving his cheek a small stroke. He lowered his head to stare at his hooves before sitting down on the floor. “People commented to me all night on how stunning it made me look.”

“You could make a plastic bag look stunning Fleur,” Fancy attempted a joke with a laugh that quickly died out. “My work showcase very well if you're modeling it, ponies love you."

“Mmm, maybe you should have been like Hoity tonight,” Fleur spoke into his ear. She ran her hoof up and down his chest to ruffle up his fur. “Gotten yourself drunk enough to ask an attractive stallion to visit your home."

Fancy remained silent. Fancy continued to stare at the building next door through the window, no more than ten feet away. He put his hoof on his shoulder over Fleur’s.

“I think you should hurry, you left that poor stallion waiting in the dark far too long with the carriage… he can take you home and you can get a good night’s sleep dear, I gave him enough for the rest of the ride and a tip.” Fancy Pants said when he brought her hoof to his lips for a brief kiss.

“I take it you are in fact spending the night here,” Fleur said, Fancy nodding his head. Fluer, accepting the kiss on her hoof, shook her head in response. “I’ll check up on you tomorrow, we should go to dinner, on me.”

“You and I both know I can afford it for the both of us,” Fancy smiled at her words. He watched her straighten her mane out with her hoof and let a whinny past her lips. She put on another smile for him, staring brightly into her friends eyes.

“And you and I both know that who pays gets to decide where to eat,” Fleur giggled happily when she trotted in the direction of the door. "You don't get to use the word carb or salt either, no complaining."

"When have I ever complained about food?" Fancy Pants questioned.

"Around the same time a newspaper called you fat," Fleur grinned back at him. “Now you are not going to worry about that dress anymore and you’re going to have a good night sleep deary, I’m sure whatever you make next will be a fantastic dress that will dazzle ponies and make you more famous than Celestia.”

“Yes, mother,” Fancy stated with a roll of his eyes. Fleur straitened her back and opened up the door, taking the first few steps out into the night. Fancy sighed, silence beginning to creep into the room. He closed the window with a pull of his magic, tossing the box of cigarettes back into the drawer.

The place felt rather large and empty for such a small shop. The unicorn pulled at the ribbon holding his mane back carelessly when his hooves carried him over to the dress that lay on top the plastic pony. He picked up the dress with his blue shaded magic to give it a brief examination.

The white unicorn couldn’t help but bite onto his tongue. Someplace in his gut just began to lurch. The red was far too bright, golden highlights simply preachy and begging for attention. He couldn’t believe he let Fleur wear something like this.

“Maybe sleep could help,” He mumbled aloud to himself. He walked by a trash can filled with fabrics and other paper before quietly tossing out the dress into the bin without a second glance. It had barely fit, the end sticking out and hung over the edge.

If anything, he was glad that disaster was out of his sight.

Sprinkling

Prince Blueblood shifted uncomfortably in his bed. He heard the hoof steps cross his large bedroom and stop in front of his doorway. He kept his eyes tightly shut. There was a dull pain in his horn causing him to bury his head deeper under his fluffy blankets and soft pillows. His bed was large enough that it allowed him to roll over at least three times until he was firmly wrapped in that warmth.

“Rise and shine, Prince Blueblood,” Sunny’s voice was heard through the darkness. His words were still muffled and cloudy as Blueblood covered his face in his covers. The prince wondered just how much longer he could ignore him and keep his dull throbbing headache from smashing through full force.

“Honestly, must you sleep so long? I know you stayed up late but over half the castle is up.” Sunny groaned when Blueblood peaked the top of his head over the purple covers. He watched Sunny use his hoof to rip open the heavy curtains of the towering windows, a streak of blinding light streaking across the room and blinding Blueblood.

A whimper escaped the prince’s lips and he covered his head up once more. His headache beginning to pound against his skull. He felt the covers be pulled to the lower half of his body from Sunny’s magic. He decided there was no point looking silly writhing in his own childish agony and forced himself to sit up. he hunched over his and began to rub at his eye.

“Glad to see you joined the world of the living.” Sunny said. He adjusted his glasses and straightened out his green sweater-vest. His hooves trotted over to Blueblood’s bedside. There was a small polite grin on his face. It was one Blueblood was used to seeing.

“I need water run for a bath,” Blueblood stated firmly. He ran a hoof through his raggedy mane and nearly shuddered. The thought of even a mere guard seeing him like this caused him to clench a hoof on the side of his neck. He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly.

“Not a shower? I thought you hated…” Sunny trailed off briefly. He waved his hoof in the air as if he was trying to grasp at the word. “Laying in your own filth was it?”

“Sunny, my head hurts far too much to even sit up straight, I think I can stomach sitting down for twenty minutes,” Blueblood groaned when he felt his forehead. His hooves pressed up against his face and he groaned once more. “Just do it.”

“As you wish.” Sunny said, trotting off in the direction of the bathroom.

It took a few minutes for Blueblood to find it in himself to crawl out of bed. His hooves recoiled briefly when they pressed against the icy floor. He took a few shaky, disorientated steps when he finally managed to get out of bed, walking in the direction of his bathroom. He let out a yawn and trotted through the door into the pink bathroom. His eyes met themselves in the mirror to his left.

“I look awful.” The prince mumbled under his breath. His eyes were red with noticeable bags underneath, his mane an awful mess. He ran his hoof through his blonde mane and realized with a sinking heart it wasn’t going to stay down from it’s tumbled mess unless he gave it a good brushing.

“You look like you just woke up, actually,” Sunny said. His eyes looked to Blueblood who had begun to stare at the flower pattern on the floor. Blueblood shrugged, beginning to shift and bite his lip the longer Sunny stared at him. His butler rolled his eyes and returned to adjusting the water temperature.

“You don’t normally get headaches like that,” Sunny changed the subject. He watched Blueblood out of the corner of his eye until the prince finally looked to him. Sunny took his eye off the water for a moment to take the few steps in the direction of the prince. He reached out his hoof to press it gently against the other’s horn. "You didn't drink last night, did you?"

“Don't be absurd. I used my magic last night,” Blueblood grumbled. He pushed Sunny's hoof away and planted his own against his temple to rub at it. With one eye open he watched Sunny put his hoof back to the floor and stare up at his prince. “It resulted in nothing more than stress and a perfectly good dress shirt ruined. In case you were curious."

“I for one believed we had your magic problem under control,” Sunny said as he raised his brow. He turned away to a large dresser, ruffling through it before pulling out a small button up dress shirt and a large bow-tie. “I was sure that Rise and Shine told you that it wasn't healthy to use up all your energy like that. You’re still struggling with the basics, you know."

“It was just a simple spell,” Blueblood grumbled and shook his head. He trotted to the sink and stared at himself in the mirror. “I just wanted to fix it so there wouldn’t be any more of those nasty rumors about... I don't know, but they'd think of something. I can’t even notice a tear in my shirt on such an important night or something strange. Shining would have just...”

Blueblood tightened his hoof over a towel when he couldn’t speak on that subject any further. His eyes glanced away from his reflection. “I didn’t think, okay? I should have found you.”

“Nopony said anything like that,” Sunny whispered. His hooves trotted back over to Prince Blueblood. He set the pile of clothes on the side of the sink, resting a hoof on the young prince’s shoulder. “You always panic and get upset over nothing.”

“It’s pathetic,” Blueblood snarled his own words and picked up the towel. He tossed it against the sink before he turned away, putting a hoof to his mouth and biting on the end. “Shining Armor protected this whole kingdom for days on top of the stress of his wedding using his magic… I can’t even repair a dress shirt with mine.”

“It’s to be expected,” Sunny’s words made Blueblood frown, however he felt a hoof be placed on his shoulder when he turned to his butler. “Shining Armor comes from a family of commoners, ones whose bloodline came from who knows how many families and magic uses. Magic tends to grow when passed around like that, it becomes stronger for the everyday ponies raw talent. As the prince you have to expect your own bloodline to be nothing but royalty, you won’t have the sort of special magic that an earth pony or pegasus might possess in their blood. Celestia and all of the royal family have lived here for centuries, all of them unicorns."

“You’ve told me this before.” Blueblood reminded his butler. His lips were still locked in a frown.

“Yet you always come back to square one,” Sunny shook his head. He began to fold the towel that Blueblood had tossed down neatly next to the prince’s clothing. He glanced to the tub and used his magic to quickly shut off the stream. There was a steady flow of steam rising from the water. “Is this about being jealous of a unicorn in near perfect physical condition who has been trained to always be able to perform at that level?”

Blueblood didn’t answer that. He scratched behind his ear to avoid Sunny’s gaze. He let out a quiet sigh and began to rub his temples, swallowing a lump in his throat.

“I’m going to get in the water now.” He said out loud, walking in the direction of the steaming water.

“As you wish."

Blueblood put the tip of his hoof into the water, biting the inside of his cheek at the sudden heat. He let himself adjust slowly, going in one hoof at a time before settling into the large tub. The warm water felt like a blanket as it encased his body up to his neck. He rested his head on the wall behind him. The steam began to rise before his eyes and clouded his vision.

“Did you at least enjoy any part of last night?” Sunny questioned him, resting himself on the carpeted patch of the floor. “I didn’t see much of you, and from what it sounds like I don’t think you wanted me too.”

"What... what do you know about Fancy Pants?" Blueblood looked up to the ceiling before he closed his cyan eyes. He scooped up some water in his hooves as he ran it through his mane, finally feeling his ruffled mane fall flat. He thought about the night before, thought about the clothing beside his bed that he had took off last night. It wasn't his, it never belonged to him. "He was here last night."

“I er...what?” Sunny seemed a bit taken aback by the question. His face contained hints of puzzlement. “The fashion designer? Did he try to sell you something from his shop last night?”

“Something like that,” Blueblood nodded. He grabbed at a bottle of bright red rose scented soap and began to pour some into the water. “I suppose it’s just honest curiosity if anything.”

“Not really anything I suppose,” Sunny put a hoof to his chin in thought about the matter. “I mean, not much more than you read in a few articles about his new breakout designs. He’s mostly a trendsetter, whatever he designs there’s usually about ten or twenty outfits that look the same by the end of the month. I prefer Hoity Toity’s line of work myself. Did you want something from his shop? I really enjoy his spring season from last year if you’re asking about popular shops.”

“I’m not looking for fashion tips," Blueblood simply shrugged his shoulders when he spoke, doubtful that Sunny could see it through the steam surrounding his body. The stallion let the red soap run over his hooves when he scrubbed his mane. He watched as globs of pink bubbles fell into the water. "Just... what is he like?"

"That I don't really know," Sunny shrugged his shoulders. "I know he goes to parties a lot. He's a bit of a social butterfly, unlike a certain prince I know."

“I never felt it necessary to interact with ponies at parties.” Blueblood kept his eyes shut, making sure to scrub the end of his mane. “The old man must be doing well. He seems pretty popular among his friends.”

“Yes, well that’s one way to look at it,” Sunny agreed, nodding his head in agreement to the young prince. “He’s made quite a name for himself in his time. Every time he comes to a party at the castle he always has a new dazzling outfit to show off."

“He was really nice..." Blueblood mumbled under his breath.

“What was that?”

Blueblood dunked his head under the water’s surface. He could feel the heat sting his closed eyes before he resurfaced and pushed back his long mane from his eyes. He took in a deep breath of air before he began washing the rest of his body, scrubbing the soap into his foreleg.

“Oh, right,” Sunny spoke up. He filled the silence with a new topic. “Shining Armor asked about you on my way over.”

“Oh?” Blueblood paused in his work and glanced to Sunny. He wasn’t sure how to feel about that as he slowly continued his scrubbing, seeing the bathwater begin to turn a little murky as the dirt came off his body. He thought about Shining Armor's embrace from the night before... how it made his heart pound. “What did he want?”

“He was asking about your plans for this week, particularly today,” Sunny stood up with a stretch of his legs. He walked over to the direction of Blueblood and adjusted his glasses before he spoke again. “He talked some about maybe spending some time with him and Princess Cadence.”

Blueblood frowned at the mention of the princess. He looked down into his own reflection in the unsettled water, watching it jiggle and bounce when he breathed in and out. “I don’t know about that.”

“You used to get along with those two so well. There was a time where I couldn’t keep the three of you apart. You talked so long about Shining Armor a few years ago I almost wanted to duck tape your mouth shut.” Sunny giggled at his own words, seeming to take joy in Blueblood’s face turning a light shade of pink.

“Things just changed.” Blueblood’s words grew quiet as he grabbed his own arm, holding it against his chest. “Shining and Cadence moved away to their new kingdom, I’m just…here. Shining is... Shining used to be my best friend.”

"Is he still not?" Sunny questioned. Blueblood didn't have an answer to that, so he simply shrugged his shoulders.

“I seem to remember you hated the idea of having a new guard outside your room,” Sunny commented. “You didn’t like the idea of being stuck with the new guy with little to no combat experience guarding your room. I saw you talking with him almost every day no more than a week later. The only reason Cadence met him was because you kept telling her about him. You were like a little kid talking about his new friend he met at school."

“Cadence hasn’t talked to me much since Shining Armor asked her to marry him.” Blueblood frowned. He wasn't sure if the feeling stirring in his chest were of nostalgia or not. “It felt like every time I tried to talk to Shining he just went on and on about the wedding… he moved to the Crystal Empire before I even had a chance to rekindle anything… I doubt he read any of my letters.”

“I’m sure the new prince just has a lot on his mind.”

“I’m not sure,” There was a silence between the two for a few moments. Prince Blueblood once again thought of the stallion from the night before. His belly clenched when he thought about Shining Armor and Cadence, but not this stallion who he had barely had a conversation with. “I’m sorry, can you tell Shining Armor I have other plans for today? I already promised somepony I would see them."

“Oh?” Sunny inquired. He adjusted his glasses when he raised his eyebrow. “And where would that be?”

“I want you to gather up those clothes beside my bed, take it somewhere to be washed and then fold them. I want to visit Fancy Pant’s shop today,” Blueblood answered. He sat up straight in the bath before he rose to his hooves, water dripping down his thick body and into the bath below. “I’m going to need some time to look prepared, I look awful enough as it is, I might as well seem presentable if I’m going into public."

“Alright my prince, though I’m sure Shining Armor will be disappointed to hear your answer,” Sunny's lips were twisted. He gave the prince a bow. “I shall return as fast as I can, Prince Blueblood.

Planted

Fancy Pants took a long drag of his cigarette. He stared up at the ceiling for a bit, but closed his eyes every time he breathed in on the stick. A cough was forced from his throat, and he put a hoof over his mouth to block his saliva from falling right back onto his face. The small room he slept in was filled mostly with boxes stacked to the ceiling. Most of them were filled with long forgotten cloth he swore he would use but ended up forgoing for something more eye-catching in the end. The room itself felt cramped, nonetheless, a small pathway from the door to the bed cleared. He really needed to give this place a good spring clean. There was a window in here somewhere, but it was buried somewhere behind the boxes.

The unicorn sat up, the cigarette hanging from his mouth. The day outside had to be growing close to noon, not willing to wait for him to get the energy to fall from his bed and crawl himself to the kitchen. He groaned loudly. Fancy moved his aching bones over the bed, rolling out ungracefully and took a moment to balance himself on a nearby box.

Fancy's fur felt ruffled, out of place and messy the more he moved about. He worked his way to the door and opened it with great impatience. The first gasp of fresh air that wasn't filled with smoke felt refreshing for only half a second before his headache began to fully set in. The bright colors hurt his eyes before he began rubbing his eyes, taking another breath of the cigarette.

Fancy Pants took a look around the place and deduced quickly that it was indeed, tragically, a mess. Bits of fabric and equipment were thrown about, hardly presentable to the public. He lifted a large bit with his magic before he coughed once more into his hoof, blowing the smoke out from his face with his hoof.

“How did it get this bad?” Fancy's words came out through the coughing, the smell already beginning to sink into the place. He blinked slowly and moved to the windowsill, pushing the end of the stick into the pile of ashes. His magic began to move the fabrics into a pile of what could be salvageable and what was so worthless it must be thrown away went straight into the garbage can. When his eyes glanced to the two piles, he saw the garbage can quickly fill up, the salvage pile looking thin and pointless. He eventually just dumped everything into the garbage.

He used his magic to straighten things up bit by bit, making it look less like a tornado came through, and a bit more like a small thunderstorm. His eyes looked to the floor and saw a few designs on paper which he had scribbled out halfway through drawing them. Most seemed pointless to keep so he moved them to the garbage as well.

A sudden knock on the outside of the door caught the older unicorn's attention, his head turning in the direction of the door behind. He could have sworn that sign was swung to closed the night before. The thought forced a sigh from his body, doing what he could in the few moments to make himself look a tad more presentable, fixing his mane, smoothing out his fur.

Fancy Pants moved to the door and opened it slowly to see who it was through the crack of the door. He was expecting a common pony, perhaps Fleur or Hoity Toity... but not this.

“I do apologize, but the shop is…” Fancy Pants saw the stranger's white fur, a common color in Canterlot, however when he moved up he found his head began to swim. Prince Blueblood stood before him, looking far more presentable than he had the night prior, his clothing fixed, eyes wide and blue with no sign of the tired grief of the night before. Behind him were two white as snow royal guards dressed in their golden attire.

“Yes… I did notice the sign,” Blueblood said, adjusting his tie with an awkward looking movement of his hoof. The stallion stood tall and proud, though Fancy noticed he occasionally glanced behind him to see the small crowd gathering at the sight of him outside, a small frown appearing on his lips. “I apologize, you seem very unprepared for a meeting."

“Oh, I suppose so.” Fancy looked down at his body, feeling unsure if he was meant to bow at the sight of the prince right at his door stop or not.

“My business here is brief, if you don't mind, Blueblood spoke, reaching out his hoof as one of the guards placed a folded set of clothing into his hooves, which Blueblood quickly passed forward to the pony before him. “I had them washed and dried for you...and I also…”

Fancy stared at the other, the prince’s words trailing off as he gripped onto the clothing he had lent the other. The fabric smelled strange, as if washed by a brand he had never used before. Perhaps royalty had everything personally made for themselves.

“You wanted to make sure I didn’t tell anypony about last night?” Fancy raised his brow. He fully opened the door to meet the other eye to eye. He watched Blueblood look down to his hooves, a mildly frustrated look on his face as if he couldn’t get out the words he wanted to say… or perhaps he himself didn’t even know. “I’ve played this game for a long time, I know how important social reputation is to some ponies.”

“Though my father always told me not to listen to rumors about myself and ponies around me, I choose to believe the rumors that you are kind and understanding.” Blueblood stated firmly, meeting the other’s eye. “So no, I don’t believe you would tell anypony.”

“Strange,” Fancy Pants couldn’t help but look a little surprised, a small grin appearing on his face. “I never expected rumors to be so pleasant.”

“There are much nastier ones. Rumors spread quickly.” Blueblood reminded the other, his polite smile turning a tad genuine the more he spoke. “I just haven’t experienced those ones first hoof.”

“I see… thank you Prince Blueblood.” Fancy used his magic to move the clothing to a safe area on top of a small pile of boxes. He paused a moment, the prince looking down at his hooves again and dragging it across the small cobblestone pathway that lead to the road.

“Would you like to come in? I was just about to make myself some tea.” Fancy Pants said with a smile on his face. He watched as Blueblood’s head shot up, a flicker of fire in his eyes quickly covered up by a stone expression and a curt nod. Fancy giggled, and a sign of a blush hit Blueblood's cheeks.

“I-I suppose I can spare some time.” Blueblood said. He lifted his hoof to the royal guards behind him as if telling them to stay put, Fancy Pants moving aside to let the other in. The Prince took several steps in before Fancy Pants had shut the door.

“I apologize for it being such a mess. I’ve been attempting to fashion together several dresses these past few weeks. I haven’t had much time to clean with the Gala approaching.” Fancy said. He moved in the direction of the small kitchen before he pulled out a kettle from the cupboard with his magic.

Fancy Pants looked to the prince, who had a rather strange look on his face. He shifted uncomfortably in his place, looking around the place as if unsure what to make of it, or if it was even his place to speak.

“Something on your mind?” Fancy Pants questioned. “I’d hate for you to bottle it all up.”

“It’s just that this place looks awfully...” Prince Blueblood spoke, one hoof off from the ground as he looked around, as if afraid to set it down.

“Small?”

“Ratty.”

Fancy Pants found himself laughing at the Prince’s bluntness. He watched Blueblood throw him a mildly annoyed look at him, but it wasn’t one that made the older pony feel as though he needed to put himself in line.

“I suppose it does look a touch ‘ratty’ by your standards.” Fancy Pants spoke as he began filling up the kettle with water. “It’s what I’ve called home for a long time though. I suppose your bedroom is the size of this place alone."

“You’re awfully open to be sociable after one insults your home.” Blueblood had a strange look on his face as he carefully reached out his hoof to touch a small pile of tattered fabrics.

“Darling, you find it easier to get over your fear of speaking up when you get to where I am.” Fancy laughed once more. “It’s better to make friends than enemies.”

“Surely you don’t live here though,” Blueblood said with a disgusted expression. He trotted awkwardly in the direction of the kitchen. “It feels awfully cramped.”

“It isn’t my main home,” Fancy Pants told the other. “Just my first in Canterlot… I opened up this shop fifteen years ago. It’s easy to grow when you manage to pin down a popular area like this before all the big stores move in. I haven’t been able to give this little place away for several years… it’s nice to go back to your roots now and again.”

“Surely your roots could be a little cleaner,” Blueblood stated. He earned another giggle from the older, but this time Blueblood's lips showed signs of a faint smile. "Tidy up a bit at least."

“Yes, I do suppose I let the place go a little,” Fancy Pants looked to the other as he lit the flame on the stove, setting the kettle down. “Though again… I hardly expected a visit from the prince.”

Fancy found himself looking at the prince when he said that, seeming to expect some kind of answer. He pulled out apple flavored tea packets from the cupboard, but kept his eyes on Blueblood.

“I felt odd just sending any old guard to give you your clothing back.” Prince Blueblood stated, glancing out the window into the street of Canterlot, several upper class ponies walking in large groups. “My father always taught me it was correct to repay those who are kind to you with something, and as rarely as it happens in our social standing, it felt like the right thing to do."

"I don’t doubt it's a rare occurrence for kindness where the two of us are,” Fancy’s eyes watched as Blueblood frowned, the prince looking unsure if he should feel offended or curious at that response. “I never see you at social gatherings outside of the castle. I make it a point to attend many. And at the castle you hardly talk to anypony during events. Assumptions are a strong thing ponies have going for them in events like that, the precious ponies we all look up to having imperfections simply amaze the common folk.”

“I don’t enjoy listening to every ponies pitch for their sales at events like that,” Prince Blueblood’s words were firm as he took a seat slowly on the purple pillow in front of the table, making sure to wipe it off with his hoof before seating himself down. “I’m there for the same reason as everypony else, to sell. Though I suppose I sell image more than anything else. Last night you saw me at my absolute worst, and yet you treated me kindly. Most ponies work out how to make themselves look better by making others look worse.”

“Deary, I’m at the top of the food chain just by being myself. Lying and manipulating situations is cruel and unjust.” Fancy Pants smelled the scent of apples lift to his nose when he breathed in, the smell of the cigarette from before fading from the room. He smiled gently at the other. Blueblood fidgeted a bit and once again looked unsure of how he should answer. “I hope you don’t take me for the kind of stallion that simply believes rumors… and I hope you are not so self doubtful that you visit the home of every pony you come into contact with.”

“I er… honestly I don’t see…” Blueblood bit on his lip, his own words trailing off. “You were kind to me. I really didn’t expect that, I just wanted to come and tell you that. Talking to you was easy if I'm being honest..."

“Truth be told once you ceased yelling at me you were rather charming in your own way,” Fancy said as he began pouring himself a cup of tea. “You didn’t seem like the pony I remembered from all those years at the gala, Prince Blueblood. It’s a shame you don’t let most ponies see you like that. You look cute right now, but you don't act nearly this shy in public, do you?"

“I’m not too used to this whole… going to another pony’s place to talk over tea.” Blueblood admitted, scratching at his cheek. Fancy wondered if it felt warm from how pink it looked. “My best friend was a royal guard who used to talk to me as he practiced his sparing and magic. Ponies like you talk about business and trade and... All I know is how to look nice and find my way around when I get lost. I try to avoid social parties if I can, I find their topics disinterest me, far too many whispers and disingenuous friendships form.”

“I know how to play the game well enough,” Fancy gave a sly grin when he spoke to Blueblood. “I’ve managed to make some true friends in the thick of it. It’s easier when you realize there is a difference between friendship and business deals. Sometimes one comes from the other. There's a certain kind of life you live at parties that fills you with... well I don't know how to put it exactly."

“My father was a lot like you,” Blueblood began running a hoof through his mane as he looked into his cup. “I suppose businessmen are alike, thinking of the big picture and all. He used to talk about appearance all the time."

“The big picture is nothing without painting the little parts.” Fancy stated as he handed the other a cup of tea using his magic, taking a sip of his own. “Friends over enemies and what not. I don't go for the business though, well at least not anymore. Ponies surrounding me and wanting to talk to me is just... enjoyable to say the least."

"Sounds stressful, having to fill all that silence all the time." Blueblood took the tea and took a brief sip. He smiled when the flavor hit his tongue. "I always stuck near the guards and talked to Shining Armor..."

“Do you always bring protection with you?” Fancy questioned, nodding in the direction of the door.

“Well ponies don’t stop and talk to you as much if the guards of Equestria are by your side. They always assume it is urgent business.” Blueblood chuckled as he continued drinking down the tea. “My great duty of delivering dry cleaning."

“You have a sense of humor at least.” Fancy smiled at Blueblood. He leaned his head on his hoof and sipped at his drink. “That’s good for royalty. I’m sure Celestia would have gone mad if she never developed one.”

“Shining Armor rubbed off on me,” Blueblood admitted with another chuckle. “He used to always tease me about taking everything so seriously. You develop fast when your friend makes fun of you for thinking he's serious every waking second."

“Sounds like you and the new prince have a history,” Fancy raised his brow as he ran a hoof across his blue moustache, pulling on the end gently. “You mentioned him last night as well.”

“I’m not sure you could call it much,” Blueblood looked into the other’s eyes briefly before rubbing his free hoof in small circles on the surface of the table. “His first assignment was to be the guard to my room. He was always more sociable than than the others, I guess it was because he grew up around the castle with his sister being Celestia’s student…. I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this.”

“Think of it as gossip, deary,” Fancy Pants waved his hoof in front of him. “Photo Finish enjoys eating fast food, Hoity Toity hooks up with Royal Guards, you and Shining Armor are good friends.”

“I despise gossip.” Blueblood mumbled quietly, gripping his leg with his hoof. “I must have looked awful last night. If ponies saw that, my image would be ruined. I hate to just think of them laughing at me in that ratty shirt I ruined, talking about how I must have ripped it like a spoiled child because I didn’t like the color or something.”

“I’m sure the rumors wouldn’t have been that vicious,” Fancy took one final sip of his tea as he ran a hoof through his mane. “You did look wonderful once I fixed you up last night though."

"Very funny." Blueblood rolled his eyes. "I was crying like a spoiled child... I could tell everypony wanted to ask why my eyes were so red."

"Oh I'm being serious," Fancy Pants pulled out a small pocket watch and flicked it open. "You are cute when you're relaxed like this."

"I... I uh..." Blueblood couldn't find the words, his mouth dry. Fancy Pants smiled when he watched Blueblood put his hooves over his face to hide his blush. "Ponies don't... normally call me that. Regal is a bit more common, handsome maybe..."

“Well there's a first time for everything," Fancy Pants shrugged before he glanced once more to his pocket watch. "I do apologize to cut this abruptly, but I made plans for me and my good friend to have dinner this evening, and I've already slept half the day away thanks to Hoity and his lousy drinks.” Fancy mumbled, scratching behind his ear with his free hoof as he did so.

“I suppose… this was all a little more than I intended for.” Blueblood coughed into his hoof as he took the final sip of his drink. “I do apologize if I’ve eaten up your time.”

“You could always join us, you know?” Fancy said to the prince. “We’re always welcome to having more ponies in our group. Nopony is around the same age as Fleur, and you look it. I bet she wouldn’t feel like she was surrounded by old men and women all the time.”

“I apologize,” Blueblood tugged uncomfortably at his bowtie. He put a hoof onto his chest where his heart was, squeezing it gently when he looked away from Fancy Pants. “Crowds are… I wouldn’t want to burst the bubble your group has. Having relation to the princess of Equestria tends to kill the mood for gossip like you ponies like to do.”

“I wouldn’t call it that.” Fancy frowned at the other, however Blueblood kept avoiding his gaze. The two were silent for a few moments as Blueblood folded the cuffs at the end of his shirt. “We should meet like this again.”

“Excuse me?” Blueblood's eyes flickered with life again, but somehow for an even shorter second.

“If you don’t mind hanging around an old man,” Fancy chuckled as he looked at the other. “Though I suppose being royal either spoils you or forces you to grow up fast. I haven’t pinpointed which one you are quite yet.”

“You're only... what was it, thirty five?” Blueblood mumbled, biting into his cheek.

“Thirty seven. Believe my, that number means a lot more when ponies expect you to go to social parties for business rather than pleasure,” Fancy shrugged his shoulders at the other.

“Twelve years isn't that much.” Blueblood’s eyes rolled.

"You sound like Hoity Toity when he talks to the twenty year old guards." Fancy Pants laughed. Blueblood smiled as well. "But honestly, I do want to see you again. Having more friends is never a bad thing in my book."

Fancy Pants stood up and offered a hoof to Blueblood when he walked around the table. The prince accepted it and got to his hooves, taking but a moment to straighten out his shirt.

“I do believe I will be seeing you again shortly, Prince Blueblood,” Fancy smiled at the other. “It was delightful to have you here, I promise I’ll appear more put together when I see you again.”

“Thank you,” Blueblood nodded his head firmly. “And… you don’t have to call me Prince… only ponies who I don’t know call me prince.”

“Very well than, Blueblood.” Fancy Pant’s tone was a pleasant one. He used his other hoof to run up Blueblood's foreleg and hold it gently. He pressed his lips down to the end of Blueblood's hoof, giggling when his eyes saw that blush again. “I’ll keep in touch with you, I promise.”

Sealing

Prince Blueblood found himself staring blankly at his own hoof when he blinked his eyes. He chewed silently at the bit of toast in his mouth, the rest of it laying before him on a plate filled with oats. The massive table was blanketed in plates of fruits, bread and oats. The windows to the outside world looked to Equestria from a great height, the end of the table still seating his two aunts together. Princess Luna looked tired, a night of dutifully watching over the dreams of all the ponies seemed to weigh on her eyes, only appearing to half listen to her sister.

“You’ve hardly touched your food, Prince Blueblood,” Sunny spoke to him, making the young prince jump before he quickly shook his head. “You aren’t feeling sick, are you? You’ve been acting a bit strange for the past few days.”

“N-No, I’m quite fine, Sunny.” Blueblood spoke, grabbing his hoof again. It felt strange when he did so, no matter how much he tried to ignore it. He took another bite of the jelly-covered toast, his belly twisting in response. He let his eyes wander to the few servants trotting around to serve. Some were carrying food trays, others taking them away.

“Well, if you say so.” Sunny frowned before he bit into an apple, swallowing before he continued. “Though it’s rare to see you eat so little, much less this many days in a row.”

“Is it?” The prince shifted uncomfortably on the velvet purple pillow under his backside. He turned to the brown stallion, a frown on his face. “Sunny, may I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“I was just wondering,” Prince Blueblood looked at his hoof once more, swallowing another bite of toast. “What does it mean when a pony kisses the hoof of another?”

“That’s a bit of a strange question.” Sunny raised his brow at the prince. Blueblood began averting his gaze from his caretaker. He continued to eat, though he could taste no flavor. “Though to answer the question, it’s usually a sign of politeness or greeting. A lot of ponies in the higher class prefer to be polite about their business, but being a little informal and showing a gesture of flirtation is usually something to be expected.”

“Flirtation…” Blueblood mumbled under his breath, the thought of Fancy Pant’s lips pressing to his hoof entering his mind once again. The prince growled, shaking the memory from his thoughts.

“Through from personal experience, flirting is seen to be the major reason for doing it.” Sunny chuckled when he said those words, his cheeks blushing a light shade of red. “Stallions are rather forward in these parts of Equestria.”

“Well putting it like that does make them seem rather insistent.” Blueblood spoke, feeling his hoof and rubbing gently. “Nearly everything in Equestria they want is theirs. I guess it makes sense they let it be known what else they want.”

“That reminds me, do you want that pile of oats?” Sunny spoke up, pointing his hoof at Blueblood’s plate to a small pile of oats he had yet to touch.

“Go right ahead.” Blueblood shrugged, the plate being lifted with a glow of magic right down in front of Sunny. It was true, the Prince really had lost his appetite. He would have gladly slouched over onto the table in that moment, if he didn’t think Sunny would begin to scold him like a child for his improper posture in front of the Princesses. He simply let out a yawn into his hoof, stretching his back in an arch.

“Shining Armor looked sad when I broke the news you didn’t want to spend time with the two of them a few days ago. Did you know that?” Sunny questioned Blueblood. “That young prince still thinks of you as his best friend, you know?”

Blueblood looked down the table to the chatting princesses, his face a frown once more.

“Those two still love you quite a lot,” Sunny raised his brow before he began chuckling. “Not much to kiss your hoof or anything like that. But they care about you, Shining and Cadence both.”

“What are you, my father?” Blueblood found himself snapping, glaring at the stallion with a look of aggravation.

“No,” Sunny lectured the prince. “Your father was the one who was against you spending so much time with your royal guard. I think it’s one of the only things you cared about enough to stand up to him about if I recall.”

Blueblood rested his head onto his hoof and leaned on the table, grumbling quietly. He closed his eyes briefly, finding it hard to keep from tapping his hoof on the marble floor.

“I think I need to go practice my violin for a bit.” He mumbled under his breath, pushing back in his seat with such force that the noise was audible.

“You haven’t practiced in weeks!” Sunny tried to speak, however Blueblood had already begun to walk away when the words had hit his ears.

The prince took a deep breath, trying his best to stand tall when he began to walk in the direction of the exit, not giving the princesses more than a small glance as he passed. He could feel the bags under his eyes, beginning to feel uncomfortable the more the servants glanced to him.

When Blueblood exited the doors, his eyes glanced to the windows and he spotted the bright sunlight falling into the red carpeted hallway. The rest of the castle opened to him as he glanced to the hedge maze. He tried his best to put one hoof in front of the other, his hazy thoughts forming a pathway.

“Blue?”

The feminine voice broke his train of thought, the Prince began to raise his head to see the face of the pink pony walking towards him, raising her hoof up to a royal guard by her side before she stepped away. Princess Cadence’s mane was a swirl of colors, her step holding a bounce when she moved closer to him. There was a smile on her face, one wide and true with emotion before she crashed into him, her legs wrapping around his body in a tender embrace.

Prince Blueblood felt his chest begin to ache, her embrace being so soft and full of affection. He brought himself to lift one leg and wrap it around her, though he knew it was stiff. He was holding his breath hoping it would be over short enough.

“Oh Blueblood, I’ve missed you so much!” The Princess spoke. She jumped off of him, her smile seemingly a tad less full of the same excitement as before.

“Good morning, Princess Cadence,” he found himself looking away from her, knowing his cheeks were a gentle pink, his hoof beginning to scratch at his ear. He bit the inside of his lip. “Yes, it’s been a while.”

“Shining said he bumped into you at the Gala,” Cadence spoke, moving her mane from obstructing her face. “I tried to go get him to find you so we could catch up some, but neither of us knew where you went.”

“I had some business to attend to.” Blueblood’s words were strict, unable to force any kind of emotion out of them. He could feel his chest tighten when he saw Cadence begin to uncomfortably drag her hoof across the marble floor. “I… missed you two. I’m sorry I’ve been busy.”

He knew it was strange to admit, however her smile gaining a bit more of that genuinity made the feeling of constriction around his body loosen a bit. She reached out her hooves and took one of his in both of hers.

“I missed you too!”

“You already said that.” Blueblood put bluntly.

“Because it’s true!” She snapped at him, a mild bit of annoyance mixed with laughter in her tone. “Shining moped the whole time we were out a few days ago because you wouldn’t come. It really wasn’t supposed to be a date; a lot of the places we tried to go to were places we thought you would like. We haven’t really had much time to get the three of us together since the wedding.”

“Y-Yeah” Blueblood spoke, the talk of the date making him a tad uncomfortable once more. He pulled his hoof away from Cadence’s slowly when she looked to the window. He began to find himself being bizarrely relieved that it wasn’t the hoof Fancy Pants had touched. “I went to go meet a friend, I apologize. Things have been a little rocky between the three of us, I wasn’t sure how welcome I’d be…”

The prince wasn’t sure if he was lying by using the word friend so soon after meeting the older stallion, but it fit the situation.

“You’re always welcome with us.” Cadence insisted with a sad look in her eyes. “But I wouldn’t want you to cancel some plans just because we came back. We’ll be here for a while, so we’ll have a lot of time together.” Cadence laughed, Blueblood’s stomach twisting at the assumption.

“Where is Shining?” Blueblood asked the princess, glancing behind her as if he might magically appear. “I’m not used to seeing you without him to be honest… even back then you were always attached to him.”

“Shining decided to get up early and go visit some of his old friends in the royal guards.” Cadence rolled her eyes. “He skipped out on it for the last few days because he thought he might catch you around here, but you never showed up for breakfast.”

“I usually eat in town,” Blueblood admitted, scratching at his cheek. “I didn’t know he was looking for me, to be honest.”

“We were both looking for you.” Cadence frowned a little, her eyes still seemingly happy, if not a little worried. “Shining tried to write to you a lot at the crystal empire, but his duties always kept him away. When we came here he couldn’t stop talking about seeing all his old friends again… I swear I married a little kid sometimes.”

“Y-Yeah, Shining always cared a lot about ponies he liked.” Blueblood smiled, looking at his hooves and giggling. “Does he still never shut up if you look sad?”

“He did that to both of us, y’know.” Cadence smiled at the prince. “When it was just me and him he talked a lot about how he hated your dad keeping you locked in the castle all day. Sometimes I think he should have married you over me."

There was a silence between the two, a wall that made it hard to converse with one another. Blueblood began rubbing his neck as he brought a hoof to it, the talk of Shining bringing a sense of his heart sinking back into his chest. Cadence's comment brought a feeling of emptiness into his heart, one he couldn't fully explain.

“I’m sorry,” Cadence spoke up. Blueblood looked to her with a bit of confusion on his face. “I’m sorry about the wedding… even before the changeling stuff happened, me and Shining hardly talked to you. I stopped trying weeks before Shining did because I… I was focused too much on all the planning.”

“I… I never really…” Blueblood could begin to feel a sense of awkwardness in his words. “Shining and you just…”

“But, I do want to make it up to you.” Cadence smiled and Blueblood looked away He knew that he was holding his breath once again, biting down on his tongue. “I know how you felt about Shining, and I just want too…”

“No, you didn’t,” Blueblood snapped at the mare. “You didn’t know anything, and you two just went off and left me. You never even said goodbye. Shining did, but you just never showed up! You really were not the pony I wanted to see right now.”

“Blue, I know that…”

The prince knew that his eyes began to water against his will. He struggled to keep his eyes shut, to hold back his emotions for a bit longer. He sucked in his breath one last time before he walked past Cadence, the mare reaching out her hoof briefly as he passed, though she appeared unwilling to follow.

Prince Blueblood knew his chest was heaving with emotion. He moved quickly past a royal guard, nearly pushing him aside. His eyes watered, his head hurt, and his body ached, everything in the world bled down to his desire for time alone.

The stallion rounded a corner quickly and soon came up to his bedroom, he slapped a hoof to his forehead as he bit firmly into the bottom of his lip before he ripped open the door, it behind him. He heard himself curse, slamming the hoof against the wall a moment later, a flinch at the sudden pain. He dug his hooves into his mane and ruffled it angrily.

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Blueblood hissed under his breath. "You don’t know anything,” he growled, gripping his hoof firmly, knowing his eyes were about to spill. “Just go away.”

It was when the first few tears began to flow when he press both hooves over his eyes, sucking in a deep breath and holding it.

His horn began to ache, and he clamped his hooves over it. His body trembled as he forced himself to take in those deep heavy breaths. His head gave a brief stab of pain, the magic in his body seeming to fight to break it’s way out.

“Calm down,” Blueblood whimpered. “Please calm down…”

Sprouting

It was as Fancy Pants began to reach into his coat pocket did he begin to wonder what exactly had made his hooves bring him to this location. Perhaps it had been a sense of boredom that drove him, something that had been plaguing his mind for the past several days. He let a sigh past his lips as he put a hoof to his forehead as he let fresh air into his lungs. He closed his eyes for that brief moment, the only thought popping up in his head was an image of Prince Blueblood.

“Excuse me sir, I’m sorry, but what exactly was the business you had here?”

“It's a bit hard to explain.” Fancy Pants found himself adjusting his monocle with the tip of his hoof as he opened up his golden pocket watch. He cupped the small watch in his hooves to see it was a bit past one o'clock. Princess Celestia's sun was high in the sky as the pony snapped the accessory shut with a flick of his hoof as he shoved it into his pocket.

“Dear, I do apologize greatly,” Fancy spoke to the royal guard beside him, the tall grey pegasus frowning as his eyes met the shorter’s own. “I truly did mean to send a mail pony to announce my arrival in the castle, but I was already halfway out the door when it occurred to me, and my hooves just sort of brought me here short notice.”

“That part is fine sir, but I’m still required to escort you.” The guard spoke, signaling a guard as the two trotted by to take guard by the castle doors where his spot had been left bare. “It probably isn’t much my place to question the motives of ponies as high as you on the food chain… er, sorry, slip of the tongue. I meant to say social ladder.”

“Food chain would be a way to put it.” Fancy laughed as the pathway to the castle before them opened up, the flowers and trees bringing a sense of warmth and light to the area. He spotted several unicorns trimming branches and tending to flowers, several others staying near the animals that scurried away. “The castle is quite beautiful, breathtaking I must say. I don’t normally have the pleasure of seeing it without ponies flocking about who want my attention.”

“Forgive me, but what was your business?” The pegasus questioned. “I don’t exactly know where to lead you without assistance.”

“Oh, sorry sorry.” Fancy chuckled as he shook his head. “I came to see the prince today. I like to keep my promises, always a good practice to learn in business practice.”

“Er, Prince Shining Armor is sort of catching up with old friends today,” the royal guard commented, stopping in his step in the middle of the pathway. The pegasus seemed to scratch at his head, as if feeling awkward that he was forced to argue with the higher-class stallion before him. “If you plan to keep his attention for long, I’d recommend you come tomorrow.”

Fancy Pants held up his hoof in front of the guard’s face, shaking his head quickly. They had stopped in the doorway to the main part of the castle, many guards passing by. “I apologize, I meant Prince Blueblood.”

“Oh,” the Guard spoke, his stoic face appearing to be a bit distraught. “Sorry, it’s a little bit rare for that one to have visitors… Prince Blueblood isn’t very sociable.”

“Something about Blue?”

Fancy Pants found his eyes shifting quickly to the direction of the new voice. In the corner of his eye he watched his escort stand stiffly in a very attentive pose. He saw the blue mane of the stallion walking towards them, his armor colored with purple and gold.

“Don’t look so serious; hardly anypony’s around!” Shining Armor’s chuckling voice came through as the guard captain put his hoof on the other’s shoulder. “Geez, you make us all look so uptight.”

“S-Sorry sir.” The guard spoke, his lips a frown. “I was just escorting Fancy Pants here to see Prince Blueblood.”

“Thought I heard Blue’s name.” Shining looked to the white unicorn, the smile on his face polite yet genuine. It was rare to see something like that these days, much less from royalty. The unicorn put out his hoof to the older stallion. “Fancy Pants, you were the one to design my wedding outfit, weren’t you?”

“Yes, I do believe I was.” Fancy spoke, taking the hoof and giving it a light shake. “It was rather eye catching, the royal colors are usually darker and less bright, though I believe it complimented Princess Cadence’s coat rather well.”

“She certainly liked it a lot,” Shining spoke with a blush as he scratched at his cheek. “She kept complimenting how handsome I looked in the ride to our honeymoon…”

“I do aim to please.” Fancy gave a modest smile to the other, bowing his head slightly. “I did come to see my friend today however, the other prince.”

“Friend…” Shining’s smile faltered for a brief moment, so quick that if Fancy Pants had blinked he might have missed it entirely.

“Yes… I would go so far as to call the two of us that.” The unicorn nodded, looking briefly to his hooves as he thought about the word in question. "I wanted to see him... forgive me if that sounds a touch odd, ponies normally have other motives in mind when they visit their friends in this city, and I honestly am struggling to place this one in anything like that."

While Fancy Pants did chuckle at his own comment, he did begin to feel the two stare at him. He suddenly began to wish he thought far enough in advance to write a letter of his arrival.

“Hey, Crescent, you can go back to your post, alright?” Shining told the royal guard next to the older. “I’ll take Fancy Pants to Blueblood," The unicorn smiled, though it seemed a tad apologetic. "Sorry, I'm being a bit selfish here in taking up your time."

“As you wish, captain.” The royal guard spoke, giving his head a brief bow before he turned away from the two.

Fancy Pants let his eyes look up and down the captain. The unicorn looked properly dressed for his job as a guard, not one as a prince. Shining Armor smiled back at him, his face a bit sheepish now that the two were alone together.

“Sorry if you didn’t feel too chatty.” Shining Armor began to apologize, the blush on his cheeks still remaining. “It’s just that, you called Blue your friend a second ago.”

“I tend to think of a lot of ponies as my friend.” Fancy Pants admitted, giving a shrug of his shoulders. “I’ve only met with him a few times, but he was very agreeable through most of the time spent.”

“Sorry, I know you don’t know me that well.” Shining frowned as his eyes looked to the floor. “I don’t wanna hassle you with a bunch of questions, honest.”

“It’s perfectly fine.” Fancy Pants swatted at the air with his hoof as if to whisk away the captain’s worries. “I believe time passes quicker with a bit of conversation at hoof. Where are we headed exactly?”

“The auditorium.” Shining pointed with his hoof in the general direction of the stage the castle held. “He went there a bit ago to practice his music.”

“You know where he is already?” Fancy Pants questioned, using his hoof to push back his light blue mane. “I’m quite impressed.”

“It’s no big deal,” Shining Armor chuckled in response. “We keep tabs on all members of the royal family. It gets a little intrusive at times if you ask me.”

“Then I’d be glad to talk with you on the way there.” Fancy Pants grinned at the other when he talked.

“Thank you, Fancy Pants. It’s just that...” Shining frowned, nodding his head in the direction of a long hallway to their left that he began to lead the unicorn down. “Blue’s never really had a lot of friends before; I’ve known him since I started being a royal guard and he always supported me the higher I got in the ranks… I think I’m only where I’m at now partially because he always put in good words about me and how great I was at my job.”

“He mentioned once or twice how he was friends with the new prince.” Fancy Pants said, his hooves giving off a brief echo with every step he took down the large hallway.

“Blueblood’s always been a little misunderstood…” Shining shook his head as he trotted along. “I mean, I know that he can be a little spoiled and a bit of a brat sometimes, but I saw a lot of what life was like for him when his dad was still alive.”

“His father?” Fancy Pants raised an eyebrow. “The recently deceased Prince? I do believe he passed away no more than three years ago.”

“Yeah, that’s the one.” Shining said, putting a hoof to his forehead when they paused briefly in their stride. “Man, I really hate gossip.”

“It’s a common trade in the higher class.” Fancy commented to the other. “You’re learning to talk like a true highborn, all filled with gossip and secrets. Things get lost in translation, yes, but it's a bit exciting piecing information together."

“It was never really a secret though…” Shining Armor mumbled under his breath. He sighed loudly, seeming to bite on the inside of his cheek as he did so. “Look, Blue’s never really been the same for a few years now… I feel like I can’t catch a break and just talk to him… How is he?”

“Blueblood?” Fancy asked. “From what I’ve seen of him, he’s decently well all things considered. Admittedly I’m not too versed on the subject of the prince’s emotions. We talked about a bunch of little things, nothing very groundbreaking.”

The captain sighed loudly, shaking his head once more as he looked down the long hallway before him.

“I know Blue’s really selfish and annoying sometimes.” Shining Armor appeared to tighten the muscles in his front legs for a brief moment. “It takes a long time for him to open up to ponies; he hates being forced into things… I worried about him a lot when I was at the Crystal Empire. I just… don’t know how he’s doing without me and Cadence around.”

“Is that all?” Fancy Pants adjusted his monocle, Shining Armor looking to him with a mildly concerned look. “To be honest, I find the prince to be quite a charming character if that’s what you’re asking. I’ve been given no reason to dislike him so far."

“R-Really?” Shining Armor questioned, appearing joyful at those words, as if they contained a bit of relief. Fancy Pants returned the captain’s words with a smile, nodding his head. “That’s good to hear.”

"He has a way of lighting up the room, in a sense." Fancy chuckled, scratching at his head. "He worries far too loudly about small things and ignores the big things by brushing them off, it's a trait I think more ponies should have. Honestly if he hadn't visited I would probably be stressed at home working on a dress."

"You sound pretty fond of Blue." Shining commented.

"Do I?" Fancy asked, feeling his cheeks grow a bit pink as he giggled. "I speak aloud sometimes, but he was very enjoyable company. I came here today without really thinking, I simply promised him I would visit him a few days prior. It's the only day I don't have scheduled for something trivial like tea with friends or something."

"So you decided to fill in that gap with tea with friends but in a castle?" Shining let off the joke with a grin on his face. "Exciting."

“I think it’s important to strengthen bonds whenever you can; it’s always an awful thing to let what could be strong relationships slip by when you lose your chance.” Fancy commented with a glance to the other, pulling at his bow tie with a draw of his magic. “I find the prince rather easy to get along with, so I wish to spend more time with him. It's easy to forget your own worries when around company."

“Yeah, that’s good… I’m glad he’s doing well.” Shining's smile looked a tad sad. "Sorry, I thought you might have been better friends than this. I thought you might be able to tell me what he was thinking about lately, help me out with him a bit. I feel kinda dumb for eating up your time."

“You seem to care an awful lot about Prince Blueblood.” Fancy Pants commented once their trotting had resumed. “That’s something you two have in common with each other… nearly all of your conversations return to each other. Most of my friends I enjoy their company, but I don't normally have fond memories with them like you two have with each other."

"Sounds rough." Shining frowned at the other.

"Oh no, I still cherish them plenty, it's just our relationships aren't exactly meaningful in the way yours are." Fancy Pants shrugged when he spoke. "Blueblood is... very easy to talk too. It's nice to have a pony not interested in my work too terribly. Promises are one thing, but a desire to keep them helps them become accomplished quickly. It's... a bit nice to get away from my work for a bit."

"Well Blue talks about himself a lot, so you shouldn't be too distracted by your thoughts." Shining laughed.

"I quite enjoy talking to him regardless," Fancy Pants smiled as he looked to his hooves. "It's hard to explain. Though I suppose you would understand, you seem to know him quite well."

“Yeah, I owe Blueblood tons,” Shining Armor admitted, shrugging his shoulders. “He was my friend, he introduced me to Cadence… The three of us used to do a lot together.”

“You and the princess do make a lovely couple. I suppose that’s worth a thank you or two.”

Shining simply nodded in response. “Cadence was always a little bit more free to do stuff compared to him though. Blue’s dad kept him up inside quite a bit for training on a bunch of stuff; they crammed things into his head like books and music and magic usage… He never really complained, but I knew he hated most of it. I could tell he always had a lot of things on his mind, but he never liked to pour it out on the two of us.”

“You’re gossiping once more.” Fancy Pants giggled at the other, Shining seeming to blush at the mention of it.

“Sorry… please, don’t tell him I said this.” Shining mumbled, kicking at the marbled floor under his hooves. “I hate having to hear about him through this. I used to think it was just the wedding that made everything so hectic, along with picking up both our lives and moving them… I wish I tried to write more.”

“If it helps at all,” Fancy Pants told the other, a brief nudge with his hoof. “He speaks of you quite highly.”

“That so?” Shining tilted his head at the other. “Honestly, part of me really wants to go in there with you. But I think I might make it a bit awkward… I just really want Blueblood to have some fun. I’d hate to block up all your time here too; I’d hate to be a third wheel.”

“Are we almost there?” Fancy Pants asked.

“Oh yeah, just up a few stairs and you’re golden.” Shining chuckled with a point of his hoof up a small flight of stairs, red carpet leading the way. He laughed, yet it seemed forced. “If you interrupt him he’ll get embarrassed and be hard to talk to for a few minutes, so try to wait a bit.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Fancy flashed the other a smile, putting his first hoof on the red carpeted step.

The captain looked to the ground, away from the older unicorn before him. “Thank you for listening to me ask about Blue,”

Shining seemed sheepish once more, as if reluctant to speak up. “I just wanted to know.”

“Thank you for passing the time.” Fancy nodded at the other. He reached out to grab the other’s hoof, giving it a firm shake. “I always enjoy a bit of gossip, even if it is for a good cause. Possessing a trait where you worry about your friends is never truly a bad thing, my prince. Blueblood is very lucky to call you a friend."

“Tell Blue that I said ‘Hey’, will you?” Shining asked the unicorn before him, twisting the end of his front hoof against the marble floor. He pulled his hoof away from Fancy Pant’s, biting into his cheek once more. “I should… really get back to the guards, I promised them I’d catch up with a bunch of them today.”

“I’ll make sure to tell him that.” Fancy Pants agreed, soon turning before he began to stride up the steps.

Wilted

Prince Blueblood found himself stealing a glimpse at the placement of his hooves as he drew back the bow of his violin, his hind legs seated on the surface of a purple cushion. The sound of his violin echoed around the empty auditorium, the low hum in his ear brought a smile to his face. The sound was sweet, pleasant even as he made the tune a bit quicker, inhaling a deep breath as he pushed the bow further.

It took him a few tries of repetition over the same few notes while began to adjust his hooves in the correct positions as he glanced to the sheet music he had laid before him on the floor. He bit at his lip for a moment. The notes had begun to sound a bit forced and slow as he played out a more complicated part.

In a brief moment of frustration, the stallion ripped the bow across the cords until a violent shriek pierced the air.

“Mother of Celestia.” He grumbled under his breath as he placed the violin on the ground. The prince pressed his hoof against his forehead as he leaned part of his weight on the bow of the violin.

“I thought you were doing pretty well up until that last bit.”

Blueblood’s eyes widened as he felt himself lean onto the weight of the bow. The sound of a snap echoed to his ears as he fell onto his side. He jumped to his hooves abruptly, aware that his face was a mess of embarrassment and confusion. He looked out into the large room, seeing the image of a white stallion as his eyes scanned the room.

“F-Fancy Pants?” Blueblood knew his voice was shaky, the fashionista stallion’s hoofsteps echoed as he moved up to the end of the stage to look up at the other. The prince ran a hoof through his mane, releasing a mild sigh of relief that it at least felt like it wasn’t a mess.

“I’m sorry, I honestly didn’t mean to surprise you. Oh dear, you really did break your bow, didn’t you?” The older stallion frowned as he peered at the broken stick.

“I… I didn’t expect you to show up unannounced. I didn’t groom at all today,” Blueblood ran his hoof through his mane once more, straightening his bow-tie with his other. He watched as Fancy Pants took a few steps in the direction of the staircase that led up to the stage. “I must look a mess, dreadful really..."

“Calm down.” Fancy Pants spoke as he drew closer, his voice hiding a chuckle behind it. “I showed up unannounced. It’s okay to not expect company at every moment,"

The older stallion grabbed Blueblood’s hoof in his own, bringing it to his lips as he smiled. “You look great though, if a tad bitter. It's good to see you."

Fancy Pant's mustache tickled Blueblood's hoof when he chuckled, Blueblood pulling his hoof away. The same spot that had been bothering him before seemed to only grow in irritation with the new kiss laid upon it.

“Y-Yeah,” the prince mumbled, aware that his face was far from pale. “It’s good to see you too… I wish I hadn’t made a fool of myself, though. Celestia, this entire thing is a mess.”

The prince glanced down at his broken bow, his lips held a frown as he stared at it. He reached down as he snatched up both halves with his hooves.

“Let me see that.” Fancy Pants reached out his hooves, Blueblood dropping the two sticks into his hooves. “I don’t believe we want a reprise of the last time you attempted a mending spell.”

“Why are you here?” Blueblood rose his voice suddenly as he looked into the other’s eyes. “I mean, not that you aren’t welcome… but it is a bit unexpected. Do you have some business with me?”

“I…” Fancy Pants trailed off for a brief moment, his horn glimmering with a pale blue as the pieces of the bow began to drift together in his hooves. “Honestly, I just felt a desire to see you again. I know how rare, friendship are over financial desires.”

Blueblood’s eyes wandered down to the bow, the cracks merging in with the wood before they vanished entirely. He blinked his eyes, and in that brief moment the bow was fixed, given back to him with a sly grin from the older unicorn.

“Thank you.” Blueblood responded, placing the bow on top of his violin. “I… do admit that it has been quite a while since somepony has visited me purely for desire to see me.”

“I suppose it’s a bit uncommon for ponies to visit the royal castle without a bit of warning. Lucky for me either my fame or my good looks got me in without much hassle. Which do you think it was?” He chuckled.

Blueblood smiled back at him almost as if he couldn’t hold it back. “I’d say a bit of both.”

“Oh don’t flatter me,” Fancy Pants looked into the wide, empty auditorium before him. The seats were all lush red, anypony on the stage able to see the vast audience with ease. “Though I must say, I didn’t take you for one who liked to imagine an audience.”

“I don’t,” Blueblood stated quickly. “I mean, not really. Nopony really bothers me if I come in here is all, it’s nice having such a big room all to yourself sometimes, a little room to breathe… I had a bit of a rough morning."

“I suppose I’m a bit of the opposite… I prefer my little old shop to my home. I do believe Hoity Toity was the one who talked me into purchasing that massive house. I have no idea what to do with half the rooms in it.” Fancy giggled as he nodded as he sat down on the hardwood stage. “Was this a bad time to visit? I wouldn’t want to make your bad morning into a bad afternoon, are you alright?"

“Honestly, so far a conversation with you has taken my mind off of it all more than practicing this confounded thing.” Blueblood frowned with a hint of disgust as he kicked gently at the violin. He sat himself gently on his cushion as he scratched at his cheek. “I don’t expect to be the next Star Swinger, but performing some music I didn’t make would be nice.”

“It usually helps if you use that horn on top of your head.” Fancy Pants commented as he tapped his hoof against his own horn. “Violin is usually a unicorn’s kind of instrument. Earth ponies prefer piano and percussion.”

“I uh...” Blueblood looked away from the other. “I’ve broken more than one violin attempting it. I think the guards started rumors that I threw some kind of fit and broke it because of something silly. I prefer it if they don’t talk about me like that, to be honest. Guards see me at my worst some days, all ruffled and unkempt and just looking like trash. It’s humiliating having them stare at you no matter what… I can barely stand my family and butler seeing it, let alone ponies I don’t even talk too.”

“So you don’t enjoy all eyes on you?” Fancy Pants questioned the prince. “That’s an uncommon trait around Canterlot. I highly doubt they judge you as harshly as you imply though.”

“Royalty has to be perfect.” Blueblood’s voice held little patience in it’s grasp. “Ponies won’t respect you if you walk around with a messy coat or an unwashed mane. I don’t expect to impress them, I expect to show them I’m capable of… Being a prince.”

“I take it mending spells aren’t the only place you struggle with magic, dear?” Fancy Pants questioned. “Is it really so hard to tug on those strings with that horn of yours?”

Blueblood felt himself begin to fiddle with his hooves as he tugged on the fur. He found himself shrugging his shoulders in response.

“I apologize,” Fancy Pants spoke as he frowned at the other. “It slipped my mind that your magic was a bit of a touchy subject.”

“I try not to use magic too much… I’d just look like a fool. I get exhausted opening up doors sometimes, and I can’t even imagine what the press would make of that if it happened at a party,” Blueblood sighed as he pressed a hoof to his cheek. “Bloodlines mess up a lot of raw power. I’ll never be able to be able to do nearly as much as Princess Twilight or Cadence can. Shining was always better than me… I think sometimes he let me be a little better than him at simple stuff because he knew I’d just get flustered if I couldn’t do it.”

“I’ve always seen magic as a rather emotionally driven force,” Fancy commented to the other. “Bloodlines aside, a clear mind is always the best source of your own abilities. Earlier today, I was so frustrated at myself that I could barely even press and fold fabrics at an acceptable standard of quality, it was a disaster.”

“Perhaps I’m just a fool. Shining was always a better prince than I could ever be,” Blueblood bit the inside of his cheek as he spoke. “I spend far too much time trying to look proper... I hardly get but a glance some nights, it's exhausting... Everypony expects me to look like I'm amazing, it's difficult to receive compliments for it."

“If it helps at all,” Fancy Pants spoke to Blueblood as he pointed to him. “You do look quite dashing when you put yourself together. You blend in a bit, you could do to stand out a bit if you truly want the attention.”

“D-Dashing?” Blueblood mumbled, clutching a hoof over his chest. “Shining used to say that red looked good on me. My father would never let me wear it though. Blue is the color used by our household, though it is customary to wear mostly white. I honestly never felt the desire to stand out much after he passed, I just wanted to not make a fool of myself. I used to pick a rose from the garden and wear it, father never objected to something so small.

“Red you say?” Fancy questioned Blueblood, a sly grin appearing on his face. “I can see you truly popping out with something so eye catching. Blue is a very cold color, far too common in this town. Oh how the critics raved at my last big dress, it was shimmering gold with silver highlights, you couldn’t look away if you wanted too!”

"It sounds a bit more for the flashy celebrities." Blueblood spoke.

"I'm serious," Fancy Pants insisted. "You would look breath-taking in something so bright, you'd spend half your night dancing with mares and stallions who couldn't keep their eyes off of you. You could light up a room."

“You really do enjoy ponies in your fashion designs, don’t you?” Blueblood chuckled, giving the other a smile.

“Oh, that’s not true.” Fancy waved his hoof as if to dismiss the thought. “Sometimes I enjoy thinking of ponies wearing nothing at all, if you catch my drift. It’s a very pleasant thought in my lonely little shop. Ponies flock to me at social gatherings, but not many come home with me."

“You honestly are a bit of a dirty old man.” Blueblood couldn't resist a smile at that, even if he felt his face brighten a bit. "Though you are handsome, I'll give you that. I'm not surprised you're so popular at parties."

“Oh you flatter such a dirty old man,” Fancy laughed loudly in response to the prince’s bluntness, scratching at his cheek which had turned a light shade of pink. "I've been called worse though, so I'll consider that a compliment."

“What in Equestria frustrated you so much anyway?” Blueblood asked as he coughed into his hoof, hiding his flushed cheeks. The older stallion glancing to the hardwood floor. “If you don’t mind me asking that is... I know I for one despise discussing my own frustrations.”

“Oh… just a silly trifle.” Fancy chuckled, a hint of embarrassment in his tone. “I thought I had this idea for a suit, and when I finally got out of bed and began to work, it just slipped from my mind… I said some words my mother would faint over.”

“I can’t really imagine you angry.” Blueblood admitted as he looked into the empty seats. “A lot of stories are usually about your work, not much about you personally.”

“I guess I’m better at maintaining my clean image than I thought I was.” Fancy laughed, shaking his head as he did so. “That one magazine, Starlight, is good at riling gossip. Hoity Toity clung to me one night when he was too drunk to walk properly and there were rumors for weeks about us and our secret forbidden romance and me two-timing Fleur De Lis.”

“Y-You’re in a relationship?” Blueblood didn’t mean for it to happen, but the sound in his voice was quiet when he asked that. It was as if he didn’t want to hear the answer, eyes shying away from the older unicorn.

“Honestly if the press wants to think that, it’s better for me.” Fancy shrugged. “I’ve never denied it, though nopony truly asked. Fleur’s my model for my dresses, I have one for suits too, but he isn’t quite as friendly as she is… Neither of them have gotten much work time lately though.”

“I thought ponies in your line of work had… deadlines.” Blueblood spoke as he shrugged.

“Ponies as high in society as I am in this business typically don’t have strict deadlines.” Fancy Pants responded as he leaned onto his hooves. “If I truly wanted to, I could ration most of what I earned and live a fairly comfortable - if frugal - life. But the public has a certain demand for things crafted by my hooves. It’s just a bit… stressful at times, to force your work. Before it’s ready, that is.”

“Is that your reason for being here?” Blueblood chuckled when he reached out his hoof to grab the bow of the violin, inspecting the other’s magic. “I hate to say it, but the castle itself doesn’t have many unique distractions.”

“I’m not here for the castle.” Fancy watched the other as he spoke. “If I wanted to visit the castle I could organize a visit with just about any of the royal house. Many would love to talk about business deals with me. You however… I simply enjoy your company. You’re a bit more kind than I imagined you to be, and you’re rather cute if I say so myself.”

Blueblood held his breath when that comment was issued, and his face was a bit warm once more. He twisted the bow a bit in his hooves, Fancy giggled at his reaction, though it only served to make the prince to blush a deeper shade of red.

“Not… many ponies call me cute.” Blueblood coughed into his hoof when he spoke. “Actually… none of them do. It’s not really something you use to describe a prince.”

“Not many ponies get the chance to talk about their own problems to a prince.” Fancy smiled at him. “What do they call a prince?”

“Handsome mostly.” Blueblood responded with a shrug of his shoulders, glancing briefly into Fancy Pant’s eyes. “I don’t… mind that you think that of me though.”

“I do apologize, I must be eating up much of your time with this trivial nonsense.”

“I enjoy speaking with you actually.” Blueblood pushed back his blonde mane with his hoof as he smiled. “I don’t have many friends to talk with these days, if I’m truthful. My own friendships seem to be slipping more and more with each day if I’m honest, far too much drama for my liking… Yet I’m wrapped up in it nonetheless. I had almost forgotten what I was so worked up about to be honest... I yelled at an old friend today."

"Oh?"

"I..." Blueblood frowned, looking at his hooves. "I get jealous around her, jealous and angry and sad, and half the time I'm not sure where it's coming from. But thank you, truly, you took my mind off a lot of the reason I came down here."

“Drama of the high class is very entertaining for a third party,” Fancy smiled at the prince. “If it's bothering you just sitting here, why don’t we get up off this stage for a bit? Honestly my backside is starting to cramp up, I believe my age is showing to you a bit. Is there someplace we can walk for a while?”

“I could… show you where I got my cutie mark.” Blueblood spoke up, watching Fancy Pants get up on his hooves, extending his leg to the prince. Blueblood accepted the assistance, though he felt a gentle squeeze around his hoof when he had situated himself upright. “It’s a little boring, but it’s in the hedge maze behind the castle. I was always able to find my way out faster than even Shining could. It’s about the only way I beat him at the games we played. I love that place, Celestia put a spell on it long ago that the shape changes overnight, I can always find my way to the center in under an hour though.”

“That sounds wonderful.” Fancy Pants nodded his head as he put Blueblood's hoof back onto the ground. “I’d love to hear the story, if you don’t mind telling it.”

“Oh, uh… the cutie mark?” Blueblood asked.

“I would have thought you of all ponies enjoyed talking about yourself.” Fancy Pants giggled, nodding his head in the direction of the stairs.. “Why don’t you lead the way?”

Blueblood smiled up at the other, trotting forward the first few steps until Fancy followed. Blueblood stood close to him, nearly bumping up against him. There was a warmth in the middle of the young prince's chest every time Fancy Pants smiled at him, one that he hadn’t felt in quite some time.

“Alright then, let’s head out.”

Deadhead

Fancy Pants let his cyan blue eyes fall past the large red curtains that partly concealed the windows that towered over his head. He found himself looking outside to the fountain spewing bits of water about. The liquid seemed to glow with the light behind them, a dance of brightness on the surface.

The unicorn stared for quite some time, yet nopony was able to lift his spirits quite like he desired when he looked to the ponies on their way in and out of the restaurant.

“Honestly Fancy Pants, if I didn’t know you so well I would say you were developing a nasty little habit for tall tales.” Hoity Toity spoke as he leaned over the table. He swiped up the large bottle of champagne with his hoof as he brought it to his own glass.

“You know me better than that,” Fancy Pants mumbled while he lifted his hoof when the bottle moved in the direction of his own glass. The earth pony tossed him a frown when Fancy Pants had denied the drink.

Fancy Pants gave the glass a bit of a shove forward. He folded his legs onto the table, resting his head on top of them as a sigh escaped his lips. with trays of food to the violin and piano players whose instruments filled the room with a pleasant tune.

“Honestly, do you ever listen?” Hoity Toity frowned as he lowered his thick purple sunglasses low enough for Fancy Pants to spot a look of concern and annoyance. “Give me a little faith, I believe somepony like you to tell me the truth. Your jokes aren’t very high witted or thought-out.”

“Har har.” Fancy Pants rolled his eyes as he watched a waiter dressed in a white dress shirt with black buttons, the white fur on his body giving the stallion an embarrassingly large amount of hope. The large restaurant wasn’t particularly busy, which at least gave him plenty of room to breathe and ponder to his own thoughts. At least it would have been a calm moment if he wasn’t seated next to Hoity Toity.

“I’m just saying,” Hoity Toity lifted both hooves in a bit of an over dramatic cry of innocence as he readjusted his glasses. “If I believed every pony who said they had gotten good with royalty I wouldn’t be where I am now. I’m not that gullible.”

“Who has gotten good with anypony?” Fancy Pants looked to Hoity Toity as he raised his brow. “Just because I invited a friend out doesn’t mean that Blueblood and I have…”

“Ah, Blueblood,” Hoity Toity nodded his head. The grey stallion took a thoughtful sip of his champagne. “Your friend not boyfriend who you’re on a first name basis with and have spent the past three weeks with at least three times a week.”

“I didn’t invite you here to talk about my friends as if I couldn’t keep my hooves off of them,” Fancy Pants snapped, a hint of enjoyment in his tone at the banter. “I have a little bit of self control, unlike you.”

“Oh, what are we talking about now?”

Both stallions turned to Fleur De Lis, who approached the table with graceful steps, her magic grasping a plate full of greens. The pink mare seated herself quickly before running her hooves over her blue dress, one that had black stripes going down the sides. She looked to the two stallions before she rested her head on both hooves as she turned her attention between the two of them. She giggled, curiosity peaking in her eyes as a devious grin spread on her face.

“Oh I was just reminding Hoity Toity how he confessed his undying love to two different royal guards because he couldn’t remember which one was which.” Fancy Pants leaned into the table to stare through Hoity Toity’s shades into his dark blue eyes.

“I still ended up sleeping with both of them,” Hoity Toity swished his glass around as he gave a bit of a childlike giggle. “Who's to say that wasn’t my plan all along? The only thing more fun than one royal guard is two at once. Don’t lie to me, I know you know what that’s like, darling.”

“Why did I invite Blueblood here to meet you again?” Fancy Pants groaned, putting his face in his hoof as he shook his head. He began to tap his free hoof gently on the table. He breathed out slowly as thoughts rushed through his head.

“I take it he still hasn’t showed?” Fleur questioned her friend. She reached out her hoof to his to give it a brief squeeze. “Are you quite positive your letter reached him in time? It was a bit short-notice. Perhaps he was busy.”

“He replied stating he would come,” Fancy Pants mumbled as he bit the inside of his cheek. “He hired one of those express ponies to deliver it, too…”

“Honestly if you are telling high tales it’s a bit more realistic this way,” Hoity Toity laughed before he sipped at his glass. “I can name you a dozen stallions who cried when Prince Shining Armor got married, and it was mostly because they weren’t the ones up there with him. But Prince Blueblood is so…”

Fancy Pants looked to Hoity Toity, who was currently swirling his hoof around as if to fish out the right words.

“Bratty.”

Fancy Pants frowned at Hoity Toity’s words. The earth pony widened his eyes under his shades before he lifted his hoof to adjust the quickly. He quieted down for perhaps the first time that night.

“I hate to say this Fancy, darling,” Fleur grabbed his hoof in both of hers as she looked into his cyan eyes. “Hoity Toity does have a point.”

“Rude!” Hoity said rather loudly, though the two didn’t pay much attention to him.

“It’s just that the prince isn’t very sociable. He mostly keeps to himself and the times where others approach him he’s a bit rude.” Fleur rubbed the top of his hoof as she brought it close.

“The prince is actually quite charming if you give him some time…” Fancy Pants mumbled with a chuckle following soon after. “He can be rather adorable if you give him the space he needs to get comfortable” He paused, biting the end of his hoof as he looked once more out the window. “I just thought it might be time to introduce him to you both.”

“You mean introduce your new boy-toy?” Hoity Toity raised a brow from under his dark glasses. “You’ve been a bit distant these past few weeks. It’s rare for rumors about the royal family to not circle around like wildfire. I’m shocked you aren’t on the cover of one of those awful magazines just yet.”

“I highly doubt the royal family would like you calling the young prince a boy-toy to anypony.” Fleur spoke to the other, though a playful grin was on her lips as Fancy Pants rolled his eyes. The older unicorn reached forward to pour the bottle of champagne into his cup, the liquid swishing about.

“I’m glad you found somepony to get so excited about,” Hoity Toity joked, though a hint of serious nature hid beneath his words. “I truly am happy. It’s been what, eight months since you’ve touched a pony with the intention to grope them?”

Fancy Pants took a rather large drink of his champagne, closing his eyes as he did so in an attempt to ignore the burn racing down his throat. He finished the glass, soon pouring more before he swished the glass around in his hoof. He watched the upset liquid swish about, tossing and turning like a pony who couldn’t sleep.

“It’ll be nine if we don’t count the groping. I haven’t kissed him more than a peck on the cheek once or twice,” Fancy’s face was glum when he leaned the weight of his head onto his hoof. “I don’t even know if he enjoys my company like I do his.”

“Since when are you so tame about your men?” Hoity Toity grilled into the unicorn. “If I remember correctly you used to kiss first and ask names later.”

“Hoity.” Fleur spoke up when she looked to the earth pony with a sense of dull fire in her eyes. The fashionisto looked away from her, though his smile looked a tad guilt-ridden.

“I probably shouldn’t have invited him here anyway. He probably doesn’t like me if he isn’t showing up,” Fancy Pants took yet another drink from his glass. His face was beginning to feel a bit warm, his cheeks a flush of pink. “He doesn’t enjoy places with company. I highly doubt he would enjoy the wrath of Hoity Toity. I’m such a dunce. Why would he like somepony so old?”

“I’m beginning to question why I came out here tonight to be insulted.” Hoity grumbled under his breath, pushing his glass away while Fancy Pants poured another.

“You’re a bit eccentric, darling.” Fleur commented to the earth pony. “Fancy’s just a bit nervous is all. And Fancy, you’re worrying over so little.”

“He’s younger than me.” Fancy Pants mumbled, gripping his glass in both hooves. “I’ve never dated somepony with such a difference like this. I’m honestly surprised he’s let me toy with him this long about the idea.”

Another sip.

“Darling, I honestly don’t understand why you invited him here if you’re so intent on believing all of this.” Fleur frowned as Fancy Pants slouched over. He had begun to scratch through his mane with his free hoof until his hair appeared ruffled and frumpy.

“I thought…” Fancy shook his head as he pressed his hoof to his temple. He had begun to feel dizzy. “I thought he might not mind a crowd so much if he was invited personally to such a small group. He talks often about not having many friends. I just wanted him to feel welcome to join us so he wasn’t stuck in that castle all day long.”

“Oh the poor prince, stuck in his castle with a thousand guards and servants,” Hoity Toity spoke sarcastically while he rolled his eyes. “A thousand guards. That’s something I could get behind. Now why didn’t we go directly to him?”

“Because I don’t want my best friend to come off as the sex driven fiend that he really is.” Fancy Pants finished his glass, his vision a bit blurry. “I want him to like me, he’s the first pony in quite some time who I’ve approached… most ponies just want me because of my position. I suppose him and I relate a bit like that.”

“Oh, good. You can bond over how many ponies want to date you. Unlike me who has to work to get those ponies attention ” Hoity lifted his nose in a snooty manner, though by the way it faded quickly Fancy could tell it was a bluff. “Though honestly, I’ve never seen you this worked up over a silly little crush.”

“Crush is such a high school kind of word.” Fancy told Hoity Toity while he swatted at the air as if to push the words away. The unicorn giggled, as if he found his own words funny.

“I believe the alcohol is getting to him,” Hoity commented. “How much of that has he had anyway?”

“Far too much.” Fleur spoke as she yanked the glass away from his extended grasp with her magic. “Honestly you of all ponies in Canterlot never worry about dates like this. You’ve always been a bit of a lightweight. How many glasses did you have before I came here?”

“Two.” Hoity answered. “He always drinks when he’s nervous. He had about three more after you came.”

“He likes somepony else.” Fancy stated, slouching down until he was resting his chin on the table. The other two grew quiet when he spoke. “He likes somepony much younger and attractive and fit… memories are a strong thing, nopony is more fondly looked upon than those of your youth… he’s a real cutie though.”

Fancy giggled once more before he closed his eyes. “I don’t think I’ve ever aimed quite this high… he makes me just stop thinking about everything for a little bit when I’m with him… is it selfish to want to be around him for that? Just because he makes me happier than focusing on how I can’t complete a single dress?”

“Not at all, darling.” Fleur’s voice was gentle as she stroked her hoof down his mane. “Your face is quite red deary, the tabloids are going to have a field day if they see you in such a state. You don’t let yourself go like this very often.”

“Oh leht.” Fancy growled through his slurring as he cracked up eyes open. He waved his hoof as if to push the air beside him. “Better than a hundred stories about a dry spell in all this fashion crap… I can’t make a single dress withem breathing down my spine about it.”

There was a brief silence as Fancy Pants brought his front legs to the table, burying his nose in the fabric of his coat. He breathed in his own sent even though he knew it would begin to smell soon considering the amount of alcohol in his system.

“Is this all what normal ponies think ahbout love? Ahdot like it, tis vfer stressful.” Fancy Pants’ voice was quiet. He knew his words were beginning to slur, the alcohol beginning to really hit his system.

“Poor ponies in love.” Hoity mumbled under his breath. “We’re all cursed, rich or poor.”

“Fancy…” Fleur’s voice was sharp, her hoof poking into his side.

“I’m fine… I’m fine I’m just a little… You look gorgeous tonight Fleur, dah mention you that?”

“Fancy Pants.” Fleur snapped, forcing the stallion to open his eyes. He sat up halfway as her hoof pointed in the direction of the entrance to the restaurant. His eyes moved slowly, his vision taking a few moments to finish blurring. It was the golden armor of the royal guards that came to his sight first, though the stallion standing in front of them talking and pointing back outside the door was what held his attention.

“Oh no no no…” Fancy groaned as he buried his face in his hooves. His mind ached with trying to get his thoughts out. “I’m a mess.”

“I do believe that isn’t an option right now.” Fleur spoke as she rubbed his back. Her eyes snapped to Hoity Toity. “Can you talk to the prince, make it so he isn’t so surprised?”

“Do you really need to tell me to flock to the big stallions in armor?” Hoity laughed, though he did pat Fancy Pants on the shoulder when he got up, giving him a bit of a nod.

“I don’t know if I can walk… I’ll look awfully silly to Blueblood.” Fancy Pants shook his head, his mind still fuzzy. “He… He isn’t… I’m fine, I can… No I can’t…”

Fleur stood up slowly, grabbing him by the upper leg to pull him to his hooves. He reluctantly joined her by his side, his legs a tad shaky. As they walked through the crowd of ponies, many turned to glance at him leaning on the taller mare, his mane a mess and bow-tie crooked from all the fussing. It was a rather humiliating walk, one that made his belly clench the closer he got to the prince.

“And I must say, you are much more handsome up close than you are standing in the corner… But Fancy Pants right now is a tad...” Hoity Toity’s voice was polite when he talked to the prince, though Fancy Pants watched Blueblood’s eyes turn to him. He began pushing past the grey stallion to get closer to the older unicorn.

“F-Fancy, you’re… I didn’t mean to be so late. I just got tied up in so many things. I tried to get ready in time but I kept changing outfits and wasn’t sure what your friends would enjoy and I got lost in my own thoughts when I showered and time just…”

Blueblood was dressed in his usual outfit, though Fancy Pants still felt his heart give a thump despite his dizziness and muggy thoughts.

“You look beautiful.” Fancy Pants said in a slurry tone, the space between the two becoming very silent as he watched the white face of the prince turn a light shade of pink. “All… dressed up like that… in thoclothes…”

“I… Thank you,” The prince raised his hoof to pull on his mane, which looked like it had taken quite some time to brush. His expression quickly snapped back to reality as he looked at Fancy Pants. “Are you drunk, Fancy Pants?”

“I’m so sorry, Prince Blueblood.” Fleur spoke as she gave a bit of a bow, setting Fancy Pants down onto the ground against the wall where he slouched over, staring up at Blueblood. “Fancy Pants got worried that you were so late and had a bit too much to drink to pass the time.”

Blueblood frowned when Fancy Pants lifted his hoof up to the mare beside him, stroking her mane as he giggled. His face still felt warm, though the worry had lessened the more he let his mind drift from the situation.

“I have a carriage out front.” Blueblood’s eyes contained a hint of guilt. He got down to meet Fancy’s eye. “Fancy, do you want to go back to your place?”

“I’mnaht that drunk…” Fancy Pants mumbled. “Don’t talk to me likeahm a little kid.”

Blueblood frowned, the look he gave made Fancy Pants want to look away, his face feeling even more red than before. He reached out his hoof tentatively, pushing back Fancy Pants’ mane out of his eyes. Fancy lifted his hoof to grab the one on his cheek.

“I’m… sorryah ruined our little date, sweetheart.” His words were slow, yet sincere. “Ahdo believe I passed the tipsy line quite a while ago… are ya mad?”

Fancy Pants held Blueblood’s hoof to his cheek for just a few more moments, the coldness of it feeling swell on his warm face.

“You needen’t get so worried about me.” Blueblood sighed, pulling his hoof away. “I’ve never really seen this side of you. Sorry if I’m a bit lost for words. I’m not mad.”

“Is your carriage big enough for all four of us?” Hoity Toity asked, Fancy feeling a pat on his back from his friend as the voice grew closer. “Most carriages I take can only seat two at most, at least the ones I can afford.”

“It’s a… a royal carriage.” Blueblood seemed a bit nervous the more Fancy prodded him, the unicorn beginning to grasp for the prince’s buttons on his dress shirt. “It was custom made for the royal family to travel together, so it’s large to accommodate Princess Celestia’s size.”

“That’s what I call first class, honey!” Hoity’s voice contained excitement, a dopey smile on his face. “Fancy would have a field day with the designs and fabrics in that thing. Looks like I get all the fun to myself.”

“Here, let me take him.” Blueblood spoke to Fleur, who had begun to already take several steps forward. “I’m stronger. He weighs a lot more than he looks.”

When Blueblood wrapped a leg around Fancy Pants, the older unicorn could smell the scent of roses. He nuzzled into the other, Blueblood making a strange noise when he did so.

“Let’s hurry up and get out of here.” Fleur insisted as she stroked her hoof down Fancy’s mane. “He isn’t mean when he’s drunk thankfully, he is a bit touchy feely though.”

“I’m perfectly fine.” Fancy Pants grumbled, though he knew nobody believed him.

Fancy Pants let both Blueblood and Fleur lead him out the doors of the restaurant, Hoity Toity following soon in tow. His steps were jagged, his head swimming as he was dragged along.

Fancy Pants let his eyes shut, the world around him slowly becoming a blur.

Bolting

Prince Blueblood tried his best to keep his eyes focused on Fancy Pants. The carriage he rested in bumped along down the streets of Canterlot as he stared at his friend’s ruffled blue mane. The unicorn leaned himself onto the prince, his cheek warm as it pressed up against Blueblood’s shoulder. He didn’t seem to be in the mood to speak much anymore, yet he still giggled every few minutes, as if he’d heard a funny joke.

Blueblood knew the other two looked at him from across the seat he was planted into. They seemed to be gaping at him more than their drunken friend, the mare a bit more cautious with her glances, while the earth pony prefered to stare head-on with no sense of sheepishness about it.

Fleur De Liss was difficult to look at for extended periods of time. She was constantly reaching out her hoof to touch Fancy Pants, either to stroke his mane or grab his hoof or simply to touch his face. A small ember burned in the prince’s chest the more she did it, one that he felt near ashamed for possessing.

Fancy Pants hugged the prince’s leg, perhaps a bit too happy about it. He began to nuzzle his cheek up against his fur. Blueblood lifted his free hoof to cough into it, his face heated when Fancy briefly kissed his leg.

The prince pulled at the collar of his dress shirt, feeling the four eyes from those across him boring into his skin.

“I thaught…. I thaught the datewen well…” Fancy at least seemed to tire fast, preferring to remain quiet the more he talked about stuff like that. “Everythin is spinnin… oh dear....”

“I know,” Blueblood spoke softly, a twist in the pit of his belly seizing hold of his breath. “I’m… I’m sorry I couldn’t get there sooner, Fancy. You embarrassed yourself in front of your friends, though.”

“Oh, we’ve both seen each other worse.” Hoity Toity spoke up. He wasn’t as eccentric as he had been earlier. He appeared a bit more comforting as a smile slipped onto his face as he leaned over in his seat to rest his head in his hooves. “Fancy used to be quite the party pony growing up. In fact, I’m fairly certain he met me because I tried to hit on him in some night club back before either of our names were household in everypony’s closet. He used to be a lot more rough and tough.”

“Hoity.” Fleur snapped, as she tapped her hoof on the grey stallion’s chest.

“I’m just trying to make him feel better.” Hoity grumbled with a roll of his eyes before he looked back to his drunken friend. “Fancy’s always just been a bit flirty if he goes off the deep end. It doesn’t really take much to do it though. Most ponies in Canterlot get rude and truthful when they’re drunk. It’s a bit hard to have fun without worrying you might get yelled at halfway through the night.”

“Does Fancy Pants get drunk often?” Blueblood asked the two, though he was a bit hesitant. He swallowed hard after he asked the question. “Or… is it just because I…”

“Fancy Pants doesn’t usually let himself go like this,” Fleur answered as she reached out her hoof to grab the drunken unicorn’s. Blueblood stared at it. The way she held it in between her hooves forced him bite into his cheek. “He used to have quite a bad problem going out because of it. He usually drinks just one or two. I suppose he wanted this evening to be special and got a bit nervous, darling.”

“You did shomethin withyer mane, Fleur.” Fancy raised a tired looking hoof, barely enough energy to hold it up. “It looks gorgeous.”

“He is a bit flattering when he gets this way though.” Fleur giggled, through her eyes still stayed the same as she stared at Fancy Pants.

“O-Oh.” Blueblood began to clench the fabric that covered his chest, the outfit quickly wrinkling until he smoothed it out with his hoof.

“I’ve never seen this old bat get drunk over a crush.” Hoity laughed as he removed his sunglasses to wipe at them.

“Over a w-what?”

There was a sudden jolt in the cart when it finally stopped. When Blueblood looked out the window he saw a gate that led up to a moderately sized home with darkened windows. There was a single fountain in the front surrounded by a rainbow of flowers, though it wasn’t very large.

The carriage driver, an old royal guard, had opened the door for them. He bowed his head when Blueblood had stepped out, soon followed by Fleur and then Hoity. When Blueblood began his climb back into the cart for Fancy, a hoof was put on his shoulder to hold him back.

“He stumbles a bit when he’s like this. Let me take care of it.” Fleur spoke. Blueblood watched her put the front part of her slender body into the cart. She grabbed Fancy Pants firmly with both hooves before she led him step by step out of the cart. He nearly stumbled on the final stair, though she managed to hold him tightly.

“Celestia, woman, how do you keep that tub of cake afloat?” Hoity commented. He let a whistle out of his lips.

“He isn’t that fat,” Fleur laughed as she let Fancy Pants lean on her. He seemed quieter, though his eyes stared right at her when she spoke. “He’s put on a few pounds, but nothing I haven’t managed before.”

“I’ll get his keys,” Hoity spoke up, quick to hop to the unicorn’s pockets to rifle around a bit. “I helped him pick out this house. I know which one is for what.”

“We’re okay from here.” Blueblood turned his attention to the royal guard. “You can just stay here for a bit. I’ll come out in a little while to let you know what we are going to need.”

The royal guard bowed his head, soon trotting away just in time as Blueblood heard the sound of a lock clicking on the front gate to Fancy Pants’ home. The lights in the house were dimmed, likely any help that might be inside was well asleep, as unlikely as it was that there were.

“Fancy hasn’t been here for a while. He usually sleeps at his shop.” Blueblood spoke to the other two as he went up to Fancy Pants, resting his hoof on the unicorn’s side. “Do you think any of his butlers or maids are here?”

“He only had two maids.” Hoity Toity took the first steps past the gate and onto the pathway to the front door. “I don’t think they work tonight though, usually only really come in to tidy up once or twice a week. He always went on and on about preferring to live a simple yet privileged life and bla bla bla...”

The grey stallion ran ahead with keys jingling in his mouth to open the front door. Blueblood stepped up quickly to take a good deal of Fancy Pants’ weight for himself, the older unicorn appearing to become a bit tired as he slouched his head. He put Fancy’s leg around him, feeling the breath of his friend on the back of his neck. He supposed it was odd that the two had never hugged, for the pounding in his chest told him the two had never been so close.

“Home shweet home…” Fancy mumbled.

“I wanted to come earlier,” Blueblood looked to the taller mare when he talked to her. Her eyes glanced to him as they trotted slowly. “I truly did.”

“What kept you so long?” Fleur questioned, though little anger or frustration was in her tone. She simply seemed a bit curious.

“I… I wanted to look perfect.” Blueblood could feel the blush on his cheeks when he said that. He couldn’t stand to look at her when the mare gave him a devilish smile. “I kept trying on different outfits. I wasn’t sure if he was teasing me the other day when he said I needed to look flashy or not. I was just about to head out the door in a bright blue suit when I got nervous and turned right back around… I’m quite foolish.”

Fleur giggled at that. It made Blueblood’s flush reach the tips of his ears. He felt a sudden urge to snap at the mare, though he kept his mouth shut.

“You and Fancy Pants are a lot alike.” Her words were soft, as if understanding.

“No… I’m nothing like him,” Blueblood chuckled, Fancy beginning to lean more on him. It forced him to use the strength in his legs a bit more. “Fancy’s a lot more patient than I am, he puts up with my problems more than I do sometimes…”

“I’m not getting any younger!” Hoity Toity called irritably from the doorway, beginning to swing on the knob like a child at a lamppost.

“Patience, Hoity!” Fleur called back.

Blueblood and Fleur both stepped up their pace as they drug Fancy Pants up the few stairs and through the doorway. The inside of the doorway led directly into a hallway painted in scarlet red, several doorways on either side until it ended in a stairway heading up that split into two halves. When Blueblood looked up he could see the second floor, a chandelier above their heads that sparkled with white sapphire.

“Please tell me his bedroom is on the first floor.” Blueblood tried his best not to whine, though he knew it was breaking through as he stared at all the stairs. Fancy Pants was near asleep, his weight seemed to become heavier by the second.

“Thankfully.” Fleur answered, promoting a sigh of relief to escape the prince’s throat. They traveled on the wooden panel beneath their hooves down to the third doorway on their right, one that opened up to a room with light blue walls.

The room was messier than Blueblood had expected, though it was contained, a simple ponyquin in the corner with Fabric strewn about in a proper mess. Oddly enough nothing more than a comb or two felt out of place in the rest of the room, just the one area for his work.

“Doesn’t he have a work room here?” Blueblood asked when he spotted the statue.

“Yes, but he likes to put up some dresses he believes needs a touch of work on. He says he doesn’t want to wake up and lose the idea before he gets across the house.”

“It’s a real mess.” Blueblood grumbled, the sight making him feel a slight sense of disgust at how unshelved the room looked.

Fleur led the prince over to the bed, beginning to put Fancy Pants down gently. He looked awkwardly strewn about, though he did roll over onto his back to stare up at the ceiling, only to cover his face in his hooves to giggle.

“If anypony needs me, I’ll be making us some tea.” Hoity Toity sung as he fixed his tie. “Celestia knows that Fancy buys the good stuff. I’d say he owes us a bit.”

“That sounds lovely.” Fleur replied with a polite smile.

Blueblood looked at Fancy some more, his eyes already shut despite slowly scratching at his ear. The prince took a few steps forward before he gingerly reached out his hooves as he removed Fancy Pants’ monocle from his eye, careful that the chain didn’t snag on anything as he pulled it free.

“He’s already nearly out.” The prince chuckled, though his own voice sounded a touch exhausted.

“He falls asleep like that a bit more often than you’d think.” Fleur told the prince, a smile on her lips. “Sometimes he gets so exhausted that he just passes out wrapped up in his suit because he worked so hard finishing a dress.”

“H-How do you…” Blueblood began, though he stopped himself by biting into his lip. He decided he didn’t want to know the answer to that. He tried to not think about it, shaking the thought off physically as he moved his head back and forth. “Nevermind.”

“You two honestly are alike.” Fleur talked to Blueblood, taking a few steps forward as she grabbed a pillow. She slid it under Fancy’s head, the stallion cracking his eyes open slightly before he put a bit of a goofy smile on his face. “Fancy likes to fuss and mess with dresses before we head out to parties. It’s always one more thing, and before I know it I have a pin or two in my cutie mark with him trying to fix the dress. We’re rarely on time, mostly an hour or two late.”

Blueblood didn’t respond to what Fleur said, simply allowing the words to sink in. He looked down at Fancy Pants, how Fleur stroked her hoof over his mane.

Fancy rolled over his body to the side before he took in a deep breath of air. He soon took the pillow Fleur had given him, putting it over his head in an attempt to block out the light. “The room ish spinning…” The older unicorn whined.

“Do you like the castle?” Fleur asked the prince. Her brow raised to him as she flipped back her mane. Blueblood couldn’t help but look at her perfectly slender body. He suddenly felt large and clunky, taking up too much space that no amount of sucking in his gut could fix it.

“It’s my home.” Blueblood answered, though he wasn’t positive himself if that was a positive or negative comment. “Fancy always says it’s nice… it feels like that when he’s there with me. I like the garden. Fancy always gets worried we’re going the wrong way... it’s one of the few times I feel like I have the upper hand over him. He’s better at many things like social events and conversations.”

“You enjoy his company a lot?” Fleur questioned the prince. “I always have. He’s been there for me my whole life. Well, most of it that was important anyway. He told me when we first met that I would be a star… all eyes on me sounded wonderful back then.”

“Back then?” Blueblood questioned, watching Fancy moan quietly under his pillow.

“He hasn’t done much recently. We used to ride together on the scene with a million ponies on our backs,” Fleur put a hoof to her lips, a giggle escaping her throat before she brushed her mane from her eyes. “Oh what a spark it was.”

Blueblood let his eyes look at Fancy Pants. When Fancy finally uncovered his face, it was blush all the way to the tips of his ears. He was rolling again, though his body seemed to shiver a bit when he settled once more.

“He talks about you a lot.” Fleur told the prince, staring at Fancy as she spoke. “He seems very excited that you let him kiss you, is that right?”

“K-Kiss?” Blueblood’s voice stuttered when he spoke, his face feeling warm. “It w-was just on the cheek. I was being silly, it didn’t mean anything… I mean, it was nice but...”

“Is that so?” Fleur giggled.

Blueblood held his breath, his mind racing for a brief moment about that giggle, wondering what it could mean.

“Fancy Pants looks cold.” Fleur mumbled under her breath, the stallion shivering once more as he curled up in an attempt to keep warmth.

“Here, I’ll just…” Blueblood took a step forward, his hooves reaching for the covers before Fleur held up her hoof.

“No, I’m a bit more gentle with this,” Fleur told him with a polite smile. “It’ll be easier if we don’t disturb him.”

Blueblood felt a frown come onto his face. Fleur was gentle as she slid the covers from under Fancy Pants, able to not disturb the stallion as she laid the sheets over his body. While he still whined, his body had stopped shivering.

“Y’know… when Fancy Pants met me for the first time he felt like a hero,” Blue sheepishly began to speak. His eyes stared down at his hooves, and he suddenly understood what a puzzle piece out of place felt like. “He saved me when I was crying over something so stupid. I couldn’t even… I can’t believe he talked to me after we met like that.’

Fleur was silent, though her smile turned from genuine to polite as Blueblood bit at his lip. The prince was quiet for but a moment before he took one final look at Fancy Pants.

“I don’t… think I’m very useful right here.” Blueblood mumbled, shaking his head. “When he wakes up, could you tell him that I’m sorry I was late for dinner? I’m just glad he’s back home and safe. My aunt is going to wonder where I am. I wouldn’t want a search party sent after me and causing trouble for him… you two know him well enough, and he’ll be fine tonight.”

Blueblood swallowed hard, turning his body quickly as he went up to the doorway. Fleur seemed to lift her hoof briefly, perhaps to call him back, though no words met his ears. He ran into Hoity Toity with a tea set on his back, the shorter pony looked to him with mild confusion on his face.

“Leaving already? I just made the tea, stay for a bit!”

“I’m sorry.” Blueblood opened his mouth briefly, but realized he had nothing more useful to say. He closed his eyes before he trotted past Hoity Toity. When his hoof reached the doorknob, he felt a twist in his belly once more.

At that moment, Prince Blueblood just wanted to be back at home.

Pesticide

Prince Blueblood gazed down at the kingdom of Canterlot, the sun finally new and bright as it woke up the ponies of Equestria. He rested his front legs on the balcony that looked over the moat surrounding the castle. From this height it was quite easy to stare out into the kingdom, and it was likely that nopony could see him. He stared into the mass of buildings and began to wonder where Fancy’s home was located.

Blueblood closed his eyes a moment, retracing the path his carriage took in reverse, though even from this height it was impossible to spot Fancy Pants’ home.

The Prince heard the door to his room open behind him. He turned his head to spot Sunny.

The helper adjusted his glasses as his eyes moved from the empty bed to the balcony. “You’re up early, Prince Blueblood.” The unicorn stated. He walked slowly to the direction of the balcony, across the purple marble floors. “It’s a bit chilly this morning though. Are you warm enough up there?”

It was only when Sunny said those words did Blueblood realize his skin was beginning to feel a bit cold, his body bare aside from his fur. He shook his head anyway, deciding he didn’t want to leave the balcony.

“I don’t normally see you get up this early,” Sunny laughed as he hopped onto the balcony. “Normally you’re a heavy sleeper. I’ve had to rip the covers off of you more than once.”

“I didn’t sleep too much.” Blueblood mumbled as he ran his hoof through his mane. “I tried, but I just kept constantly waking up.”

“You got home late as well.” Sunny pushed past the white curtain to step onto the balcony where Blueblood was seated. “Would you like to go get some coffee and breakfast with me? The chef has honey and oats this morning for everypony. I know you enjoy honey quite a lot.”

“If it’s alright with you,” Blueblood looked away from Sunny as he fumbled with his hooves. “I’m not feeling all that hungry…I think I’m actually feeling a tad ill.”

“Really?” Sunny asked as he pressed his hoof to Blueblood’s forehead for a brief moment. “You don’t feel too warm. Is everything alright?”

Blueblood opened his mouth briefly, though he closed it again a moment later. He looked away from Sunny and onto the marble floor of the balcony. His belly twisted up inside of him as he shut his eyes.

“Sunny… Do you know what it’s like to be jealous? Romantically I mean.” Blueblood asked the question, but didn’t look at his butler when he did so.

“That’s an odd question.” Sunny raised his brow at the prince, who was currently looking away at the moat beneath the balcony. “I’ve felt jealous before, yes. There were plenty of times where I liked a mare and she told me she liked somepony else. It tears you up inside for a while.”

Blueblood felt his cheek, the spot where Fancy Pants had pressed his lips against nearly a week ago. His lips were rough yet warm on his skin, so comforting and brief that Blueblood thirsted for more.

“Did you ever confuse affection with just…perhaps being friendly?” Blueblood felt his hoof, the same one Fancy kissed on several occasions. He thought about how Sunny told him it was common, something everypony did.

“Once or twice, yes.” Sunny chuckled, though his brown cheeks were starting to flush. “I had a mare who I crushed on for months. I tried flirting for what felt like eons… turns out she liked mares and didn’t even have the faintest clue what I was suggesting when I constantly complimented her.”

Blueblood buried his muzzle in his upper legs as he gazed off of the balcony.

“She knows him so much better than me,” he grumbled, his cheeks flushed the more he thought about how much Fleur had been able to care for Fancy Pants like it was second nature. “How can she just be all over him like that so naturally?”

The thought about Fleur being able to be there for Fancy Pants and be confident in what he was doing made him redden deeper. She grabbed his hoof a dozen times without even hesitating.

“What was that?” Sunny questioned, Blueblood’s muffled words hard to make out. “I think you’re warming up quite a bit now, so perhaps you do have that fever.”

“No, I’m quite fine.” Blueblood stated firmly. He sat his body up as he rubbed his face with his hooves. He tried his best to keep his mind off of the previous night, but his mind kept itself at bay, always drifting back to the shore of his worries.

“Prince Blueblood, why do you ask all of this?”

Blueblood heard the door to his room open once more, however he kept his face buried in his hooves. He didn’t answer Sunny and instead simply shook his head.

“Who could that…” Sunny mumbled, though Blueblood heard his butler stand up quickly. Blueblood watched as he rapidly smoothed out his wrinkled green sweater. “P-Prince Shining, how wonderful to see you so early!”

“Shining?” Blueblood felt his heart sink deep into his chest as he turned around. He saw Shining Armor standing in the doorway, his body bare of any armor or special attire. Blueblood stood up suddenly, his legs a bit wobbily from sitting for so long.

“Blue!” Shining took a step forward, though he quickly brought it back to stand in place. “You’re here! That’s…that’s really good.”

“Prince Shining, it is quite a bit rude to barge into other’s rooms.” Sunny spoke as he walked away from Blueblood. He frowned at the prince as he trotted up to him.

“I’m really sorry, Sunny.” Shining Armor bowed his head to the servant. “I’d like to talk to Prince Blueblood alone…if that’s alright with you, that is.” Shining’s smiled looked strange, as if it pained him to keep it on his face. He took a quick glance at Blueblood, though soon turned away. “We have some things I’d like to discuss.”

Sunny blinked before he glanced back at Prince Blueblood. Blueblood hesitated, thinking quickly for any possible excuse to get out of this, any way to run and…

He looked into Shining Armor’s eyes. His mind wiped for but a moment. A feeling of longing wrapped itself around his heart. He had worked so hard to avoid Shining Armor for weeks, but now that he was here…

He missed his friend.

Blueblood nodded to Sunny, his chest feeling icy.

“It just happens I was headed out anyway.” The butler told Shining Armor. Sunny bowed his own head before he threw Prince Blueblood one final glance, his steps slow as he moved out the door. “I’ll check later to see if you want to join me for lunch, Prince Blueblood.”

The door sounded final as it swung shut to the prince, as if it were sealing him in with his friend. He found himself frozen for a brief second, Shining Armor taking a hesitant step forward on the purple marble floor. The step felt like thunder that made Blueblood want to run and hide someplace safe, someplace far away.

“Hey there, Blue, how’s it going?” Shining Armor chuckled as he approached. It was as if he was trying to sound casual, but his words came out gingerly. They tiptoed around being truly comfortable with the situation. “I, uh…I thought I would give you a visit.”

Prince Blueblood took his first step from the balcony. He took a moment before he put his hoof down inside his room, and, unwilling to show any sign of weakness, he kept his posture tall while he trotted up to the other.

“It’s…good to see you.” Blueblood answered, his words a bit less solid that his looks. He didn’t want to look into Shining Armor’s eyes. They were soft and full of worry that the prince wasn’t ready to deal with.

“Blue, I…” Shining took a step forward, though Blueblood took one back. It was almost without thought that he did so, for Shining looked down at his friend’s hooves, though thankfully he didn’t say anything. “I wanted to run into you someplace more casual, y’know, like in town or the maze or when eating…I really didn’t want to come to you directly like this, but I felt like I needed to.”

“I…I didn’t…try to avoid you.” Blueblood bit into his cheek. He felt like Shining was writing the word “Liar” all over his body with just his eyes. His breathing became tight. “I’ve been busy with Fancy Pants.”

“Fancy Pants…” Shining Armor mumbled. The blue haired unicorn took a moment to press his hoof to his forehead before he began to shake his head. He must have seen Blueblood take another step back, because his face instantly softened into worry. “No no no, I’m not mad, I just…”

Shining Armor groaned as he shook his head. Blueblood bit harder on his cheek, his friend silent for a few moments.

“It’s…it’s okay if you want to spend more time with Fancy Pants than me.” Shining lifted his hoof, hesitant to reach out and touch the other. He put it down when Blueblood looked away. “It’s just…you’re my best friend. You’ve always been my best friend, and you’ve hardly talked to me in the past month since we came back!”

Shining Armor’s voice was raising, though he didn’t seem angry, more upset than anything. The muscles in his forelegs seemed tense as he pushed them into the marble floor.

“I just…you and Cadence…”

“Cadence,” Shining shook his head again, emotions turning to frustration at the simple name. “She let it slip last time she even got a look at you, you just yelled at her and ran away?”

“Cadence just…” Blueblood’s words became hard to form in his own mouth. He closed his eyes, the sensation of Shining’s stare rough on his skin. “I wasn’t thinking back then. I was upset and something slipped. She just came up to me and started talking like… like she knew everything about me!”

“Because she does, Blue!” Shining Armor took another step forward, this time less hesitation in his actions. “We both do, we know everything about each other. I know that you and Cadence and me used to sneak away into town and eat all that crap your dad wouldn’t let you have. I know that you broke your leg once when we were screwing around in the maze and you didn’t want to blame it on me so you tried to hide it. I know that you hated every single one of those lectures your father made you listen too!”

Fond nostalgia was blanketed by Shining Armor’s worry and frustration at his friend. Any joy he might have taken in talking about the memories was covered in thick growing anger. Blueblood had backed up enough that when he looked to his side he saw his large mirror. It may have just been his imagination, but a brief moment when his chest hurt, he thought he saw a spark of Blue on his horn.

“Fancy Pants has been…” Blueblood couldn’t think straight, and he suddenly wished more than anything that he didn’t feel so alone.

“Why is it always Fancy Pants?” Shining held out both his hooves helplessly when he snapped, his eyes stabbing Blueblood through the heart.

Blueblood clasped both his hooves on the side of his head, holding his breath as he shut his eyes firmly. He could hear Shining Armor take a breath of his own, however he exhaled it quickly. When his hoof touched Blueblood’s, it felt like ice.

Blueblood remembered in an instant the first time Shining Armor held his hoof. It was when he was crying about his father yelling at him saying he shouldn’t spend time with his guards so much. Shining had butted into his room and saw him, refusing to leave until he found out the reason. Shining had held his hoof the same way back then, so comforting and compassionate, it had been the first time Blueblood felt his heart actually skip for the royal guard.

Right now, his heart was still.

“I’m sorry I’m yelling,” Shining Armor bit firmly into his lip as he looked at the prince. “I know you… I know you hated it when he yelled. I shouldn’t, I really shouldn’t.”

“Shining…” Blueblood lowered his hooves slowly. He realized his own legs were shaking, the fear gripping at his heart. He wanted to speak more, wanted to say anything to make the situation easier.

“You’re my best friend, Blue.” Shining Armor held Blueblood’s hoof firmly in his own. “I don’t want to lose you. Is it because you’re mad at me? Because we left and you…you had to stay here?

“No… No it isn’t because of that…” Blueblood’s voice was timid, quiet even. His body was still trembling. “I can’t…I can’t tell you…”

“Why not?” Shining’s voice was rising again, but he quickly calmed it down as he shook his own head violently.

“It’s too late now!” Blueblood snapped, his voice breaking. “You and Cadence got married, and it hurt… but now I…”

Fancy Pants popped into his head. Fleur at his side every moment laid in his mind like a seed, growing and tangling around his thoughts. It reminded him of Cadence. It was happening again. Everything was just falling into place like clockwork.

There was a brief silence as Shining Armor relaxed his posture, looking tired.

“You never wrote. We tried to write so much but you just never…” Shining Armor shook his head. “I know things went from normal to us being gone fast. Cadence and I got married so fast and then moved away even faster. I just want to know what we…no, what I did to make you so distant. I know it was my fault. You can tell me. I can take it.”

Blueblood remained silent as he stared at Shining’s face, the unicorn sighed, his face vicious with his curiosity at the same time.

“Ever since me and Cadence got together you’ve been so distant. Did we ignore you too much? Did we really make you feel that awful that we…? Please just tell me, Blue.”

Silence.

“Please, Blue…” Shining Armor trailed off, though the second he began to lower his head, Blueblood grasped it in his hooves, firmly lifting it to stare into Shining’s eyes.

“Blue, wha…”

It was rather sudden and unexpected, but when Blueblood pressed his lips to Shining Armor, the world seemed to stop for a brief moment. The kiss was rough, yet soft. Shining Armor didn’t seem to fight him, he simply seemed frozen by his own shock. Blueblood kept his eyes firmly shut, blocking out the rest of the world for one moment.

It tasted bitter.

It was Shining Armor who pulled away first. He did so by grasping Blueblood’s hooves over his own, pulling the Prince’s face away. There was a silence between the two as they stared into each other’s eyes, that brief moment where thought couldn’t function for either stallion.

This was something Prince Blueblood had dreamed of for as long as he could remember, to look into Shining Armor’s eyes after a passionate kiss, to feel the lips against his. Why did it taste so awful?

“Oh.” Was all Shining Armor could say, his voice not angry or upset, just in shock.

“Fancy…” Blueblood mumbled. The prince’s eyes widened suddenly as he pushed himself off of his friend. His chest beat so hard it nearly hurt, beating and beating that awful drum. His vision became blurry as emotions began to overtake him.

“Shining, g-get out, now.” Blueblood stuttered as he turned away from Shining Armor. He looked into the mirror once more, his eyes watered so badly that he couldn’t see his own reflection. His head began to hurt, his horn began to ache as he tried not to breathe.

“Blue, wait, what was… why did…” Shining Armor took a step forward. “I mean…”

Blueblood clamped both hooves on either side of his head, his eyes shutting the world out as he grinded his teeth together. His face was burning, his lungs gasping for air that he wouldn’t let in. His head began to ache, and when he opened his eyes he could see a hairline crack in the mirror beside him. His mane was ragged, his eyes wide, and he looked like a wild beast.

He began shaking his head. Another step forward from Shining Armor. He turned around, backing away two steps. Shining flinched back, Blueblood’s stance defensive as he hunched down. His eyes were blurring as his breathing became quick.

“Stay away from me!”

“Blue, I… You never told me that…” Shining took a step forward again, his hoof close to Blueblood’s shoulder, getting closer and closer with each second. “Look, we can talk, okay? Just calm down and we can…”

"GET OUT!” Blueblood screamed, shattering the mirror with what felt like the sound of his own voice, though his horn glowed a fiery blue. He watched glass rained down in a dangerous explosion. He could hear Shining yell in shock, though it wasn’t from the glass, it was from the fact that he was being pushed back with such force that his body flew back several feet. It was as if he had been hit by an unstoppable force that had smashed up against his body, throwing him to the ground with a thunderous slam.

Shining sat there, coughing and gasping for air. His eyes quickly found Blueblood after a brief moment of disorientation, attempting to get to his hooves despite his shaking legs. Though the wind had been knocked out of him, he still attempted to take a step towards the prince.

In seconds, two royal guards came rushing in, alert and ready.

“Prince Blueblood, we heard screaming, are you alright!” The guard yelled, panic in his tone as he scanned the room. “T-There’s glass everywhere!

“Get out!” Blueblood yelled, the other guard helping Shining to his hooves. He could feel the fire burn his horn as he screamed. “Everypony out, right now! I don’t want anypony in my sight no matter what!”

“Yes your highness.” The royal guard who helped Shining up nodded his head. “Please let us at least clean up the glass at least, it’s dangerous, are you hurt?”

“No, wait, Blue!” Shining yelled at Blueblood. The prince had already turned his head away, his body numb to the world around him. “You can’t just shut me out again!”

“I’m not hurt… go ahead and clean it up. I don’t give a damn.”

Blueblood held his breath as he nodded his head, Shining Armor being led out of the room. Blueblood couldn't tell if he was fighting the guards or not, for his mind was screaming too loudly to even think. The prince held his head low as he walked quickly to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him with his hoof.

He looked down to his leg and realized blood dribbled out of him, staining his snow white fur with crimson tears that matched the ones coming from his eye. It was only now that he began to feel the pain of the cut, wincing as he put his hoof over it. The cut went up his upper leg to near his shoulder where the shard must have hit him in the explosion. Thankfully it didn’t seem glass was embedded into him, but simply hit him on it’s way out.

When he touched it, it began to leak onto his free hoof. It was blood, it was real, and it was his. As he stared at his hoof his breath began to catch, trembling and breaking from the inside as he wrapped his legs around himself in an attempt to hold his crumbling body together.

And without warning, tears sped down his cheek.

“Calm down… calm down calm down calm down calm down.”

The cut thankfully didn’t seem very deep, nor very long. His horn still ached with the burst of magic that had erupted from it in his moment of panic. The anger and terror that ran through his body was still freshly imprinted on his heart. When he touched the horn he flinched, more tears spilling from his eyes. It was sore, tender even.

He shakily moved in the direction of the tub, crouching next to it before running water, making sure it was warm before putting his leg under. The red liquid washed from him, though it was only moments later when it returned.

As he stood up, he grabbed a towel from beside him. He stared at it a moment before pressing it up against his face. He opened his mouth, making a muffled cry that was difficult to hear. He tried to clamp his mouth shut, tried to remain silent and suffer alone, but the cries came out regardless.

Tears continued to stream from his eyes, though he sniffed as he put his hoof up against his face. He couldn’t look at himself in the mirror, knowing his face must be a mess, his nose already beginning to run as he bit firmly into his lip. In all his emotions and anxiety, he felt alone. He felt beyond alone, as if he were the last pony in the universe.

“Fancy Pants…” He whimpered, his lips sour with the taste of Shining Armor.

Right now, more than anything, he wished for the embrace of Fancy Pants. He hadn’t let himself think such things until now, locking the thoughts away in his heart, knowing it was only a bomb that would soon explode, leaving him hurt once more if he simply let it detonate inside of him. Each tick sent a shiver down his spine.

Prince Blueblood pressed his own hoof to his lips, closing his eyes. The thought of Fancy stopped his tears for but a moment, a single second of peace in the whirlwind that was his mind.

He wished more than anything that Fancy Pants had been the one to steal his first kiss.

Bareroot

“I don’t like her mane.”

Prince Blueblood leaned his head on his hoof as the sunlight shot its rays between the gaps in the tree leaves above. The thick cushion he sat on prevented dirt from clinging to his fur, and the grass was long yet thankfully dry. He turned his gaze to the gates of the hedge maze, two grey unicorns clad in bright golden armor patrolling just at the edge of his vision.

He let his eyes glance to the open letter on the table in front of him. A picture of a cream colored mare with a bright red mane stared back at him. Her face looked very royal indeed, most likely primed and picked at since birth to avoid any sort of blemish from obstructing her slender face.

“Does her mane prevent you from conquering the western islands?” Shining Armor’s voice seemed to break whatever train of thought Blueblood rode on, for he sat up with a blink of his eyes before he looked to the royal guard before him. His body was covered in gold and purple armor, though his helmet was on the ground beside him. “I mean, I know these things take time to plan out but I wanna take my next turn before I’m fired for having a nap.”

“S-Sorry, Shining.” Blueblood looked at the board on the table, a map of Equestria and beyond sat before them, several pieces of red and blue beginning to overtake the multi-colored map. He picked up the dice in his hoof before he let it fall against the board. It was only a two.

“I rolled a five.” Shining giggled, snatching up one of Blueblood’s front line blue pieces. “Looks like we took another prisoner hostage today.”

“This is stupid. You kill ponies in war, not take them hostage.” Blueblood grumbled before he let out an exasperated sigh. “Why couldn’t we play chess or something? This game is boring.”

“You only like chess because you always win.” Shining reminded the prince, somehow forcing a bit of a chuckle out of Blueblood despite his grumpy mood. “I’m good at this game. Let me say I overthrew a prince and ruled the world.”

“I have a feeling a royal guard captain has a slight advantage over a prince who rarely leaves his home in board games about strategy and war.” Blueblood’s words were blunt and harsh, frustration dripping through his speech.

“And I have a feeling a pony who spends all his time studying is better than me at a boring game like chess.” Though his words were playful, Shining seemed to stare at Blueblood for a long time. The guard studied his face the more the prince looked at the picture, a frown briefly tracing over his lips. “Hey, you okay, Blue?”

There was a bit of silence when Blueblood picked up the dice in his hoof again, staring at the snake eyes that seemed to gaze back at him. He found his eyes drifting once again to the letter beside him. The mare’s picture seemed to grow even larger, as if getting closer to him every time he blinked.

“Do you think she’s pretty?” Blueblood questioned the royal guard. He set the dice down, ignoring a frustrated groan from his friend as he snatched up the letter to stare at the picture. The mare was wearing a long purple gown that sparkled in the flash of the camera, her body thin and flawless. She looked away from the lens at something off in the distance, her green eyes glazed over with whatever thoughts occupied her mind.

“She’s not really my type.” Shining Armor shrugged his shoulders after giving the photo a brief glance. “She didn’t even smile for the picture, and she’s looking right at her dress, too. I mean, she’s gorgeous. There isn’t much doubt about that.”

Blueblood pursed his lips, staring hard at the mare before him. He couldn’t feel anything, he found himself unsure if he found the mare to be beautiful or revolting. Not a flutter nor a sinking of disgust was in his chest, simply disinterest.

“Hey, Blue, you okay?” Shining Armor’s asked again as he reached out his hoof to wrap it around Blueblood’s own before he gave it a reassuring squeeze.

That was it, the flutter in his chest that he had been searching for in the photo. He tried not to look at the other, for he knew if he did his cheeks would begin to flush. He began to wonder if Shining’s face gave off that look of worry that sent shivers down his spine, or if he was trying to smile despite his serious tone, not wanting to worry the prince. “I guess the air didn’t really help, huh?”

Shining was right. Blueblood hadn’t been able to stop staring at that picture the entire day. Somehow he had put the mare out of his mind up until now. He had always known about her, but it had been years since he had even seen what she looked like. He had nearly forgotten, nearly managed to dump it from his mind.

“I don’t want to marry her…” Blueblood mumbled. The prince used his free hoof to pull at the buttons on his chest, the heat beginning to get to him. He stared at the board, realizing that Shining’s troops had really begun to surround him while his mind was lost. “I don’t even want to look at her anymore.”

“Hey, Blue, c’mon buddy, don’t have another freak out on me.” Shining Armor waved his hoof in front of his face, catching the prince’s attention briefly. “Look, Cadence already went to talk to the princess about all of this, we just have to wait a little bit to see what we have to do, please don’t start hyperventilating about this again. She was the one who calmed you down. I just panicked with you.”

Though the letter had only arrived earlier that day, it was already crumpled and worn out with the hooves of the three ponies grabbing at it time and time again in such a brief period.

“I didn’t...” Blueblood knew his face was growing more colorful. Though Shining was smiling, his words were filled to the brim with worry. Though it felt like a needle was piercing his skin with that iron gaze, it somehow made him feel just a tad better. “Do you really think Cadence can talk to aunty Celestia about this? I mean it’s my problem and I...”

Shining must have sensed that Blueblood was beginning to feel sick to his stomach, for he reached out his hoof to snatch away the picture, stuffing it under the board. The trees above the two rustled in the wind, the breeze ice cold on his skin.

“Cadence doesn’t have a father who yelled at her to shut up when she wanted to not have an arranged marriage.” Shining’s voice was soft. “How long ago did he do that, anyway?”

Prince Blueblood pulled his hoof back, folding it neatly over the other before he set it on the table. He swallowed a lump in his throat, though he couldn’t quite force it down. He squirmed a bit uneasily in his seat as he pulled at his big blue bowtie, the strings suddenly tight around his neck.

“A year.”

“A year?”

Blueblood nodded his head before he winced, the sound of Shining’s sigh a whip to the side of his face. He watched Shining bury his face into his hooves for a brief moment to settle whatever thoughts went through his mind.

“Celestia, Blue, do we really not make you feel safe enough to tell us this stuff? We had to learn about it a couple months before it even happened?” Shining looked as though he was starting to get annoyed, though the tone came mostly from a good place in his heart.

Prince Blueblood grew silent, holding his breath for a moment.

“Sorry, sorry I know,” Shining planted his own hoof against his face as he shook his head. “I’m not gonna get mad at you like he does, I promise.”

“Okay…” Blueblood mumbled, though he didn’t seem entirely convinced.

“Princess Celestia is on our side.” Shining insisted, leaning forward to talk to Blueblood over the table. “If it scares you that much, you can just tell your dad and he’ll have to listen… or we could just go to the princess directly. He can’t just go against her orders like that.”

Blueblood grew silent again, looking down at the board game once more. It was pointless trying to expand, no matter what he did, the odds were against him, and he would soon be overthrown. It seemed too easy to finish it and let this game come to an end, yet the dice remained in his hoof. He hesitated to make the next move, so the game could not continue.

“I used to think I could marry somepony special to me,” Blueblood chuckled as he tossed out the dice, landing a six before Shining took it in his own hoof. “I would have liked to have a first kiss before getting engaged… My twenty-first birthday used to seem so far away.”

“Well there’s still plenty of time left to have a first kiss.” Shining chuckled as he rolled the dice, landing a three. “A pony of your status could probably get anypony he wanted to kiss him just for the publicity, mare or stallion. Maybe a singer like Sapphire Shores or one of those big fashion ponies would give you a nice big smooch if you asked.”

“I highly doubt ponies like Photo Finish and Fancy Pants would want to pucker up for me. They have their fame,” Blueblood rolled his eyes before he let a whinny out of his lips. He looked at Shining as he snatched up one of the red pieces from the board.

The prince had to look away from the royal guard’s eyes quickly, knowing his heart would begin to beat harder if he stared for too long. “Anypony is a bit broad. And I’m not desperate enough to start asking common ponies if they’re willing to kiss royalty for their nice fifteen minutes of fame.”

Blueblood stared at Shining Armor, a thorn pricking in his side reminding him that he could in fact not kiss anypony he wanted to in all of the kingdom.

The prince squeezed Shining Armor’s game piece in his hoof, the edges beginning to dig into his skin. “The wedding is a few months away… hard to believe it’s already so close.”

“We can call the wedding off anytime we want.” Shining insisted, rearing the topic back. “Cadence and I are always on your side, Blue. We can all talk about it later if you want. You can talk to us about anything.”

Shining was squeezing his hoof again, and Blueblood had to struggle not to look at the other pony. He was reminded once again what exactly brought about his rebellion against his marriage.

“Don’t be afraid of how you feel, Blue.” Shining had that smile on his face that tried it’s best to reassure the prince, but his words did feel sincere. “After we settle all of this and things cool down, the three of us can just relax some. It’ll be okay.”

Blueblood was silent, though he nodded his head in response, if only to get Shining to stop holding his hoof so his heart would settle down.

Shining looked at the board again, a frown coming to his face for perhaps the first time that evening. “You’re right, this game is kind of stupid. Do you want me to get cards or something?”

“No… let’s try again.” Blueblood watched as Shining’s magic wiped the board clean, all the pieces falling back into their starting positions rather quickly. “I think I’m getting the hang of this now.”

“Why don’t you be red?” Shining questioned the prince. “That color suits you a lot better anyway. Hell, you blush enough that it might as well be your color.”

“T-That’s not…!” Blueblood tried not to get worked up, but he was indeed forced to hide his face as he let out a loud groan of frustration at his own white cheeks turning pink. Shining was laughing, yet it didn’t seem cruel. In fact it was one of the only sounds right now that calmed his worried mind.

The prince’s ear perked up when he heard the sudden galloping of hooves. He brought his head up to see a royal guard running across the field. When Shining Armor had spotted him, he stood up, keeping his body held high.

“State your business, soldier.” Shining Armor called before the guard had even gotten up to them, his voice tired and panting. He took only three seconds to catch his breath before standing up tall.

“I’m sorry, captain.” The unicorn’s voice was rough. “I’m here for Prince Blueblood.”

The prince’s eyes met the panting soldier, the guard hesitant for a brief moment as Blueblood slowly got to his hooves. The guard opened his mouth briefly. It almost looked dry for how long he hung it like that. He kept his eyes closed for a few moments, but when he opened them a sense of determination that lay dormant suddenly flared.

“My Prince, I... regret to inform you that your father has passed away.”

Blueblood stared at the last of the crimson water as it flowed down the drain. Every time he thought his body had finished crying, he gave a violent shake that could cause an earthquake. He sniffled as he tightened the bandage around his upper leg with a tug, his leg still aching.

His body still felt weak when he tried to move it, though hanging over the edge of the tub was probably not his most flattering moment. He tried to think back to the last time he had even taken a shower, for it felt like weeks had passed. His mane was a ruffled mess, his eyes bloodshot with the tears that still found their way out of him even when he thought crying was beyond an acceptable option.

“I’m a mess…”

His voice was quiet, fragile even. He knew his body would shake if he let himself think in silence for too long. Bandaging up his leg may have been a bit reckless, letting a guard or nurse or even Sunny look at it probably would have been smarter, but it still was something that forced his mind to think about anything but the situation.

The time had passed long ago when the sound of steps had stopped outside his bathroom door, and he had assumed the shattered glass had been cleaned up. Everything was deafeningly quiet once more
the only sound was running water from the tub that had washed out his cut.

He pressed his hoof down hard on the knob to the tub, the water ceasing quickly as he tried his best to get to his hooves. His legs shook, and he had to rely on the edge of the tub for support. While his mind wasn’t spinning, he could feel his body on the edge of crumbling if he didn’t focus hard on simple tasks, his mind pounding at the fresh wounds of his morning.

The prince wondered briefly what Fancy Pants would think just looking at him. His heart beat when he thought about Fancy, though it only ached in his chest. He swallowed hard as he wiped his lips, the bitter taste of Shining still on them.

Blueblood pricked up his ears when he heard the sound of hoofsteps. He glanced to the door when he heard them stop. They weren’t as heavy as a royal guard’s or Shining Armor’s would be. He heard a knock on the door, though it reminded him of a gong, each knock hitting him in the gut.

“Blueblood?”

The voice was of a mare. The prince could feel his own heart sink when he realized who the voice belonged too. He began to grab at his mane, pulling at it as he shut his eyes firmly. He shook his head, body shaking as the desire to scream at her to get out began to rise. He couldn’t handle this right now. He couldn’t handle anything right now.

How is she in here? Blueblood tried to think why the guards had let her past against his orders, perhaps it was merely because she was the princess.

“It’s me, Cadence.” The princess seemed hesitant to speak. Blueblood wondered if she was waiting for something to continue off of. Though he tried, his mouth wouldn’t let him form words. “I know you’re in there. The guards told me they heard you crying when they were cleaning up everything.”

Blueblood might have blushed if terror were not shooting through every vein in his body. He remained silent, wondering if she would just leave if he refused to speak to her. He could see her shadow from the crack under the doorway, the golden horseshoes on her hooves.

“Shining… Shining told me everything.” Cadence seemed to run her hoof over the door, for Blueblood heard it slide down over the wood. “I’m not upset that you kissed him, I’m really not.”

When Blueblood still insisted on not talking, Cadence gave out a sigh.

“I always thought that you might have liked him.” Cadence must have looked away from the door, for her voice became a bit muffled. “You always stared at him for hours when the three of us were together. I didn’t think much about it, except after a while you could hardly look at him if he looked back at you. No matter what your dad said to you, you always smiled when you were with him. Shining has a way of doing that to ponies, making you forget about every problem and just…”

There was silence from both ends for a brief moment.

“When he kissed me that first night… I didn’t even realize how much I love him, even back then.” Cadence laughed, though it felt dry. It wasn’t that her laugh was insincere, simply forced. “I knew how hurt you would be, and I couldn’t stand to see you that way. I knew you felt uncomfortable around even Shining when you found out, but we just got married so fast. We had known each other since Twilight was just a little foal. We didn’t have to think if we were right or… But I ignored you because I knew how you felt. Your dad died and neither of us could be there for you… I was upset and he just… he kissed me. Even when you needed it so much more, he kissed me.”

Cadence let out a breath. “I don’t apologize for loving him. I don’t feel bad about it either… I’m sorry it took something like this for me to tell you about how I feel.”

Blueblood trotted slowly to the door, careful not to make any noise. He pressed his hoof up against it gently, Cadence’s breathing audible. She was calm and determined, much stronger than the wreck he was right now.

“Shining and I talked about what we were going to do after your wedding was called off.” Cadence chuckled, perhaps sitting down because her voice sounded like it was coming from lower. “We wanted to surprise you
we were all going to spend the day in Canterlot just doing whatever you wanted. We thought you would like that, knowing how your father would… react… But everything just came crashing down at once.”

Cadence got to her hooves quickly by the sound of it, for her voice was right in front of the stallion once more.

“Please just say something!” She called out, her natural coolness breaking away the longer Blueblood remained silent. “We can still do it. I know it’s late and I know how you feel, but we can fix things and just go back to how it used to be. I know how you feel, but I can’t be there for you if you won’t let me!”

There was a long silence. If a feather dropped from a bird, it would have been heard from a mile away. Both seemed to be holding their breaths, Blueblood’s eyes firmly shut as he shook his head. His body was beginning to shake again.

A single hoofstep from beyond the door. She was leaving, she hadn’t even said anything before the first step to indicate it, but she was already on her way out. The door was closing, nothing but a glimmer of light in the crack.

“H-How?”

Blueblood heard his own voice break, and the hoofsteps stopped. She came back to the door slowly, as if hesitant that she had even heard the quiet voice. His voice shook, and he suddenly became afraid that she hadn’t even heard him. He kept his eyes firmly shut. The silence had nearly stolen the breath from his lungs.

“Blueblood?”

“How can anything go back to normal?” The prince couldn’t stop shaking. He quickly wrapped his legs around himself as his breathing began to quicken. “How can I just… I kissed Shining. He wouldn’t stop yelling and begging. I couldn’t breathe. I honestly couldn’t breathe…”

“It’s okay, Blue.” Cadence tried to comfort the prince, though the effort was difficult behind a closed door. “He isn’t mad at you, and I’m not mad at you.”

“He just wouldn’t stop asking and bugging me and poking me about it.” Blueblood could remember the conversation like a thorn lodged into his side. He looked down at the bandages covering his leg, gripping his leg forcefully until it began to hurt. “He wouldn’t understand… he couldn’t understand how I felt if I just told him. It seemed so much easier to just show him, and now Fancy Pants…”

“Fancy Pants?” Cadence questioned.

“He’s going to hate me.” Blueblood let out a cry which he quickly muffled by clamping his hoof over his mouth. It took a moment before he felt it was safe to release that hoof, his eyes blurring with tears. “When I think about him, it hurts. He’s going to think I don’t have any kind of interest, that I don’t even think of him like… like…”

Blueblood couldn’t finish his sentence, so instead he swallowed hard, asking a single question, not even to Cadence, but just to the air around him.

“Why would he want to be with me?”

He couldn’t help but think of his father’s words about how a good prince never lets his feelings show. Concealing emotions to acquire a better public image always seemed simple, and yet here he was losing himself over a silly crush.

Cadence didn’t seem to have an answer for him, though her hoof did come up to the door handle. Blueblood didn’t fight it when she turned the knob, the door slowly opening as Blueblood backed up three steps.

She looked so put together, so beautiful and well-groomed. Blueblood felt like even more of a mess than before, his face still wet with tears.

She opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again. “It’s going to be okay.”

He couldn’t believe her, no matter how hard Blueblood tried he couldn’t believe her lie.

Cadence looked to his leg, how poorly bandaged it was. She frowned, Blueblood looking away from her when she touched it. He tried his best not to hiss when she did, but it still found it’s way out.

“No… no it isn’t…”

It was the first time he had seen Cadence since their argument, and even though her eyes still only showed concern for him, Blueblood could barely look at her. His mind was a muddled mess of emotions that he couldn’t even bring himself to sort out properly right now. She didn’t reply to his negative words, though she did throw him a worried look.

“You don’t hate me.” Blueblood mumbled. It wasn’t a question, but a statement. It was the only word of comfort and honestly he would give to himself, for everything else felt like a lie.

“No, I don’t,” Cadence chuckled, but her eyes gave off a sense of kindness that Blueblood had nearly forgotten about. There was silence where she took his hoof in her own two, squeezing it gently for but a moment.

“I’m going to go get somepony to bandage this up properly.” Cadence looked into Blueblood’s eyes. “Don’t try to walk too much. That cut looks pretty bad. When I get back, we can talk about Shining and Fancy Pants.”

Fancy Pants’ name brought a frown to Blueblood’s face. He let Cadence take his hoof as she slowly led him from the bathroom and back into the warzone that was his bedroom. The mirror was gone, probably removed so any of the remaining shards wouldn’t fall. It looked as if nothing had happened, as if the memory itself was gone.

But Blueblood remembered, and the thorn embedded itself deeper into his heart. He sat slowly on his giant bed, the purple covers sinking with him as Cadence took a deep breath.

“I’ll be right back. Just try to stay calm while I’m gone.” Cadence spoke, waiting for Blueblood to give a nod before she began to walk in the direction of the door. His belly still felt twisted inside of him.

He thought about Fancy Pants again. He wasn’t sure if he could face the music anytime soon, his body still fragile at the mere thought, eyes stinging and beginning to water once more.

It was hard to believe that it wasn’t even noon.

Germinate

“Do tell me, just how big of a fool did I make myself out to be?”

Fancy Pants pressed the end of his muzzle up against a mug filled with coffee, the steamy liquid warming his nose. He tried to keep his eyes shut as often as he could, his mind still pounding and hammering. He set his head on the table, the rest of his body seated on a cushion.

He stared at the blue tiled floor beneath his hooves, the color blurring into his vision until the patterns were unrecognizable.

“Well you clung to your dearly beloved’s arm for most of the trip home and kissed it quite a few times.” Hoity Toity took a sip of his own coffee, the high-class pony looking much more put together at such an early time than Fancy Pants did. When Fancy opened his eyes, he watched the earth pony run the bottom of a pan over the burner of the stove. The scent of eggs and hay strips hit his nose. “Honestly I was afraid you were about to start dry humping him after you told him you liked his outfit for the tenth time.”

Fancy Pants groaned, sitting up with a great amount of effort from his two-ton body before instantly burying his face into his hooves. He tried his best to think about the previous night. Little more than his memory of seeing Blueblood was a full piece, and the rest of his thoughts were snippits and flashes of the rest of the night.

“When did Blueblood leave again?” Fancy Pants asked, managing to pry his hooves away from his eyes. He had to admit, the thought of him clinging to the prince like that sent his heart pounding more than he thought it would. He wasn’t sure if he felt annoyed or content with that fact.

“A little after we got here, deary.” Fleur sat across from him as she browsed the morning paper. She set it down before she reached out her hoof to run it through Fancy Pants’ mane. “He was very concerned about you and wanted to be positive that you would be alright before he did so.”

Hoity chuckled. “I bet that’s the first time a boyfriend of yours has ran away before they even got into bed with yo-OW!”

Hoity Toity seemed to be hit right on his backside by the rolled up newspaper, courtesy of Fleur’s magic. Her horn glowed a light pink when she gave him a brief glare. She put a hoof over her mouth in a shushing motion.

“Honestly Fleur you hit harder than you look like you can,” Hoity complained as he rubbed a hoof on his backside. He began circling around the reddened area. “I’m very fragile for an earth pony, you know.”

“Sweetheart,” Fleur began, ignoring the whining of the earth pony. She scooted her cushion over next to the stallion, grasping his hoof in her own before she lifted it up to her lips. “Stop beating yourself up about this. He honestly cared about you if he made sure you got home safely.”

“I should really go and apologize,” Fancy Pants put a hoof over his pounding skull to try and contain whatever wanted to break loose. The smell of the food Hoity Toity was cooking seemed to only upset his stomach when he got a whiff of it. “He did look rather dashing from what I remember.”

“It’s probably best to stay put if you’re feeling so ill.” Fleur told the stallion, her voice a touch commanding. It reminded Fancy Pants of a mother and couldn’t help but smile at her stern look, though it quickly turned into a frown at a turn of his own stomach.

“Oh, Luna,” he whined, ripping off his monocle before clamping his hooves over his eyes. “I never want to drink again. I forgot all my cigarettes at the shop, too.”

“I’m sure you’ll say that when Blueblood invites you to drink with him.” Hoity Toity turned off the stove with a flick of his hoof, piling the food up onto his own plate before he approached the table. Fancy Pants didn’t want to admit it, but that thought honestly did make the prospect of feeling like this for another second a bit more bearable.

“My Celestia you have nothing to eat in this household, Fancy Pants.” Hoity complained as he stabbed a fork at his eggs. “I know you can’t cook to save your life, but I would have thought you had something a little more to eat. Unicorns really don’t have any idea what to do in the kitchen, do they?”

Fancy Pants smiled at that. Every time Hoity complained, it was easy for the unicorn to remind himself that the pony was still here in the first place. Hoity took a bite of his food, having the decency to at the very least swallow before he opened his mouth again, though it was interrupted by the sound of a loud ring.

Fancy Pants flinched at the sound of a doorbell. He whimpered gently as he squeezed his hoof over his mane. Hoity Toity sighed before getting to his hooves, trotting quickly to the hallway before the stranger had begun to bang their hoof on the door.

He had expected Hoity Toity to give an overly excited and mildly inappropriate welcome to whoever was at the door like he normally did. However there was nothing but silence and mumbling for a good ten seconds before a loud audible sigh was heard. Hoity walked back in with an annoyed expression.

“Honestly, why do the princes all flock to your home and not mine?”

“Blueblood’s here?” Fancy Pants knew his voice was a touch overly excited at the prospect. H had even jumped to his hooves.

“No, not your boyfriend.” Hoity Toity rolled his eyes, waving his hoof at the direction of the door as he stepped back into the kitchen to take a seat back at his food. Fancy’s eyes followed his friend for but a moment, but he was soon distracted as a white stallion with a blue mane walked into the home. He looked the opposite of princely, for his eyes had bags under them along with his ruffled mane.

“Fancy Pants?” Shining Armor asked the stallion. He took a step forward, eyes wandering away from the three for a brief moment as he took in a deep breath of air. The prince looked as though he were collecting his thoughts. “I hope I’m not intruding, but it really is important. It’s uh… well it’s about…”

“What happened to Blueblood?”

Fancy Pants hadn’t really thought about the question before he asked it, for it had just slipped out without thinking. He took a step towards Shining Armor, thinking to himself that there was no reason the prince would show up at his door otherwise, especially looking as ragged as he did. Fancy Pants let his eyes gaze down to Shining Armor’s side, noticing a rather large bruise near his cutie mark.

“Blueblood…” Shining Armor seemed as though he wanted to continue, though his eyes gazed hesitantly towards Hoity Toity and Fleur. “He uh… Blue…”

“Hoity?” Fleur spoke up, the earth pony looking away from the two stallions and to Fleur. “We were just about to take a little walk, don’t you remember?”

“I don’t recall…” Hoity acted as though for a brief moment that he was going to argue against Fleur’s attempt to butt the two out of the conversation. However he bit into his lip, nodding his head as he put his fork down neatly. Both he and Fleur stood up together, giving the prince a brief bow before squeezing past him.

“Have fun, boys!” Hoity called from the hallway, Shining beginning to rub the back of his neck with his hoof.

“Did… Hoity Toity just call you Blueblood’s boyfriend?” It seemed to be the first question on Shining Armor’s mind. He chuckled a dry laugh, just something to fill the air. “I didn’t know that Blueblood… well that he…”

Fancy Pants noticed Shining Armor was pressing his hoof over his lips as he spoke. The prince’s words were growing quieter and more muffled as that small seed planted itself in his mind.

“Hoity Toity just liked to tease me.” Fancy Pants’ laughed when those words left his lips, though the way Shining Armor acted it soon occurred to the stallion that it might be best to tiptoe around that particular topic for the time being. “Why are you here again? I don’t mean to be rude, but you’ve caught me at a bit of a rough time. I have a hangover that could kill right about now.”

“I’m sorry for coming so suddenly, then.” Shining Armor took another deep breath, the words seemingly hard to rip from his throat. “But you’re the only pony I can come to right now, okay?”

“Did something happen to Blueblood?” Fancy Pants took a step forward, his own upset stomach somehow finding a way to turn itself yet again. “He isn’t hurt, is he?”

“No… he’s…” Shining Armor looked to his hooves, biting his tongue. “He isn’t hurt.”

“Would you like some coffee?” Though Fancy Pants could feel the burning curiosity and worry brimming in his chest, he tried his best to be calm and patient. He knew that if he stood up any longer, he would start tapping his hoof with his own impatience.

“I would love some.” Shining sighed, walking slowly into the kitchen before he hesitantly sat down where Hoity Toity had been seated. He pushed the plate away before burying both hooves into his face. He pulled them down until his eyes were revealed, looking tired and aged.

“I hope you enjoy black. I’m afraid I’m all out of cream and sugar.” Fancy Pants walked to the stove, grabbing the pot of coffee in his hoof before he poured a fresh mug.

“I need something strong,” Shining spoke, the exhaustion creeping into his voice. “Black is fine.”

Fancy Pants handed the captain the mug, watching as he took the first sip without much hesitation. The older unicorn sat himself down gently, readjusting his monocle before he focused on the other. He watched Shining take a sip, and then another, and in fact he watched him for so long without a word that by the time Shining Armor spoke, half of his mug was empty.

Maybe it was the fact that Fancy Pants began tapping his hoof on the table that got Shining Armor’s attention.

“I didn’t want to come here,” Shining Armor admitted. He stared into his own mug, perhaps at his own reflection. “I have nothing against you, I hardly know you but…” Shining Armor shook his head slowly. “Do you care about Blue?”

“Of course I ca-”

“I mean really care.” Shining Armor leaned forward, hitting his hoof gently onto the surface of the table. “That comment about him being your boyfriend, what did it mean?”

“I highly doubt that is any of your concern.” Fancy Pants began to frown, his face losing a bit of his friendly demeanor that he usually put on. “And even if the comment meant something, I honestly doubt you have any reason to know about it.”

“I promise that it’s important.” Shining Armor pleaded to the older unicorn. “I just… I need to know that you care about him. I don’t want to make a mistake by coming here. I’m supposed to be his best friend, me and Cadence both are and… and I can’t even give him what he wants.”

Fancy Pants studied the look on Shining Armor’s face briefly. He watched the prince’s hooves tighten around his mug to the point where his hooves must have hurt. He seemed to have been holding his breath, for he let it out in one gasp relatively shortly.

“I care about Blueblood more than I’ve cared about a stallion in quite a long time.” Fancy Pants made sure to look into Shining Armor’s eyes while he spoke.

Shining Armor seemed to study his eyes briefly, looking for any hint of falsehood. He must have been satisfied, for when he looked away he began to explain. “I went to Blueblood’s room this morning.” Shining Armor breathed slowly. “I was just… I was upset that he wouldn’t talk to us. He avoided me and Cadence like the plague for over a month and I couldn’t take it anymore.” The prince gripped at his own foreleg and stared at it hard. He didn’t want to look the unicorn in the eye. “I… yelled and I backed him into a corner. I thought that maybe if I pushed hard enough I could just get him to say something instead of avoiding every question, but he just… kissed me.”

Fancy Pants could feel ice hit his heart, nearly freezing it in his place. He tried his best to sit still, though he knew the muscles in his forelegs tightened at those words. He watched Shining touch his own lips, and suddenly felt a pang of jealousy rip at his heart. He found himself wondering if Blueblood’s lips were as soft as they looked, if they would make Fancy giggle through a kiss just like he thought that would. It was a strange time to be thinking things like that, but it filled his head nonetheless.

“Blueblood uh… he uh…” Fancy Pants couldn’t find any words that would make either of the two feel better. “Why… you…”

Fancy Pants lowered his head. He reached up his hoof and began pulling at his mane, shielding his vision from Shining Armor. His chest clenched inside of him, and only one thought ran through his mind.

Why would he want an old man like me? It’s not like I even told him how I feel.

“I never thought about how he didn’t like looking at mares the same way I did.” Shining Armor shook his head. There was a sense of regret in his tone. “I thought maybe it was because he was shy, and when I found out he was engaged, I figured he might not have wanted to have his heart broken… I just… never even considered.”

Fancy Pants was barely listening. He tried to tell himself it was a bad habit to ignore ponies talking to him, but the thought of Blueblood’s lips pressing up to the stallion before him did nothing but rip at his insides.

“He said your name.”

“Pardon me?” Fancy Pants looked up from his lap. Shining Armor nodded his head in response.

“When Blueblood pulled away, he just said your name and turned away.” Shining laughed yet another empty laugh. “I honestly didn’t really think about it until after he got… upset…”

“Upset?” Fancy seemed to find his voice again, even if it was barely above a mumble. While the jealously still lingered in his chest, he found the ice thawing just a bit at the mention of his name.

“He yelled at me right after he did it. He couldn’t even look at me…” Shining squeezed his foreleg again. “I knew that look, I knew he was about to start crying and trying his hardest not to.”

Shining grew silent, taking another nervous sip of his coffee. “He won’t let me be there for him. I can’t give him what he wants, and he won’t talk to me. I don’t even know if he’s okay… no… I know he’s not okay.”

Shining Armor clapped his hooves together. He squeezed both of them as he set them neatly on the table. He closed his eyes for just a moment, and Fancy could see he was biting his tongue yet again.

“He wants to see you more than he wants to see me,” Shining Armor admitted. He pulled on the end of his blue mane as he cast his eyes away from Fancy Pants. “I’ve seen a lot of ponies try to get with Blueblood just because of his status, and I’m trying to think what you can gain by this. Like I said, I really don’t want to regret coming here. I’ve seen ponies lie and cheat trying to get to Blueblood, and normally he just ignores it. I’ve never seen him talk about a pony who likes him quite like he talks about you.”

“You mean he…?”

“I don’t know anything about love.” Shining Armor laughed. “I know I love Cadence more than anything, but I was never good at reading ponies. My wife was replaced by a giant bug once and I didn’t really take note. Twilight said a lot of mares hit on me in school, but I never noticed many of them.... But Blueblood was my best friend. I didn’t even think about any of this. But I know he cares about you… if I can’t be there for him, I think you can at least be. Cadence and I talked about it, and we want to see if you can… help us fix this. I have no reason to distrust you and know you’re not like that kind of pony just from the media, just…please, I have to ask you not to hurt him.”

The ice in his chest had nearly melted by the time Fancy Pants had gotten to his hooves. Shining Armor looked to him as the older unicorn took in a deep breath.

“I highly doubt that Blueblood would want to see me if I look like I’m having a horrible hangover.” Fancy Pants chuckled, looking out his window to see the morning sun was about to hit it’s peak at noon. “We can be out the door in ten minutes.”

“Thank you.” Shining Armor put on a smile. Fancy Pants recognized it instantly as being merely polite. He decided not to bring up that fact, but he did in fact bow his head briefly. “I don’t want to hold us up any longer. I’ll wait while you get yourself ready. There’s a royal carriage out front.”

“I honestly do care about Blueblood.” Fancy Pants stated. He noticed the mildly worried look on Shining Armor’s face, yet the prince turned to him with that same polite smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Shining Armor’s eyes were firm, a little piece of that royal guard captain in him breaking through. “I don’t want to hurt Blueblood any further. I hope I’m right to trust you.”

“You are.” Fancy Pants reassured.

Shining Armor didn’t respond, and by the tapping of his hoof on the floor Fancy Pants realized he wished them to be off soon. He bowed his head, leaving the kitchen with a straight path to his bedroom.

Despite Shining Armor being so cautious about him, Fancy Pants couldn’t help but feel his heart beat in his chest, the ice melted by the new prince’s words. Even if this visit hurt him, he wanted to be there for Blueblood. He wanted to be at Blueblood’s side if he was nearly as upset as Shining said he was. All he wanted right now was to make Blueblood smile… it was a smile that filled his own chest with pride and joy.

When he entered his room and went to his closet, he took a brief glance at the ponnequin, it’s bare body surrounded by torn fabrics of various shapes and colors. He took a step towards it, reaching out his hoof to press against the plastic figure’s side. He thought about Blueblood smile, his blush, his lips…

Fancy Pants reached down to pick up a strip of fabric. It was crimson like that of a blossoming rose as he brought it to his face. He imagined Blueblood in the color as he let it slip from his hoof and fall to the ground. He shook his head with a groan of frustration, the thought suddenly dawning on him that he was in a bit of a rush.

He took a single step away, but found his gaze drifting back to the plastic statue. He stared at it for a brief moment, trying to envision his imagination coming to life and tangling itself around the ponnequin. A brief smile flickered on his lips, and he once again thought of Blueblood.

And just for a moment, his heart felt warmth.

“Red.”

The words slipped from his mouth when he turned away.

He didn’t have time to ponder his brief thought, for he quickly grabbed a coat and dress shirt. Fancy Pants decided he himself couldn’t even wait, deciding it would save time if he simply changed in the carriage ride.

For better or for worse, he was already on his way out the door.

Blossom

The large castle already felt unsettlingly quiet before Fancy Pants had even managed to step hoof past the drawbridge into the garden. Perhaps it was Shining Armor’s oppressing silence that never seemed to let up, or it could have been the pounding headache that still lingered in his mind. However, when his eyes fell upon the garden full of critters, he could only remember walking with Blueblood, exchanging small talk that no sane pony should remember. Yet he could recall every word.

Normally the white stallion felt a bit happier about the prospect of seeing Prince Blueblood. He couldn’t help but frown when he remembered the context of his visit. The ride here in the royal carriage had been quiet as well. There had been no more than a few seconds of awkward small talk that had been extinguished before even a spark had begun.

The air was chilly, noon passed by as Celestia’s sun began to set. The clouds were gathering, though he wasn’t positive if it meant rain or not.

“Blue might…” Shining started to speak, his words trailing off quickly as they stepped up into the castle doorway. “I mean, he might not want to see you. When his father used to yell at him, he locked himself up and wouldn’t let Cadence or me see him.”

“I’d still like to try,” Fancy Pants tried his best to remain adamant.

Shining Armor kept looking to him and then away, a hoof constantly raising to run through his mane each time they paused to turn a corner. The guards occasionally broke their stoic demeanor to greet their captain cheerfully, though he did little more than nod to each of them.

Fancy Pants let himself look to the windows that revealed even more of the garden. There was a garden of rose bushes in a line. The stallion briefly wondered if this was where he had first met Blueblood some odd weeks ago. He thought it strange that so much could bloom from a little tear in fabric.

When they approached a set of stairs, they began to climb. The pink tiled floor was covered in a rich red carpet, giving the place a sense of a much brighter atmosphere than the feeling in his chest. Fancy wondered if Blueblood would even want to see him when he found himself glancing to Shining Armor’s lips.

Shining broke the silence when they went up a few sets of stairs. “It’s just a little further this way.” Fancy Pants suddenly felt much older when he realized his breathing had increased much more than the captain’s. “I really hope Cadence managed to get him to at least open his door…”

“She’s talking to Blueblood right now?” Fancy Pants questioned.

“Hopefully.” Shining tried to smile when he looked at Fancy Pants. It looked forced. “We talked together about it after Blueblood threw me out. We thought it might be best if I went to find you and she tried to talk to him so he wouldn’t be a total wreck when you came.”

Shining Armor paused briefly in his walk. Fancy Pants did so as well, looking at the captain as Shining let out a rough sigh.

“I wish that it was the two of us who could calm him down.” Shining grumbled as he bit into his cheek. “I wanted so bad for things to not change so much, but he can’t even talk to me without freaking out. I don’t know if I’m just a bad friend or if we drifted apart because everything came crashing down so fast… Honestly, I don’t know which one I prefer.”

“He still cares about you.” Fancy Pants felt the need to assure the other. He contemplated briefly putting his hoof on the other’s shoulder, but decided against it at the last moment.

“Blue…” Shining bit harder at his cheek. “Let’s go.”

Thankfully, the rest of the walk was short. It took no more than a three-minute trot through the quiet hallways before Blueblood stopped at the door. Shining knocked gently, staring down at his hooves as he did so. He took in a deep breath, planting a hoof over his forehead as he squeezed at it.

The door cracked open. A single lavender eye appeared before the face of Princess Cadence slipped out of the door. Her slender body managed to slide out without exposing much of the bedroom. She looked from her husband to Fancy Pants, a polite smile on her face.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Fancy Pants,” she said, taking his hoof in her own. Her smile faltered a bit, though it never felt insincere to the stallion. “Blueblood talked a little about you, but I tried not to pry.”

Fancy Pants wasn’t sure if he should bow or not. The exchange with royalty was a bit more personal than expected, her demeanor a tad less regal. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Princess.”

“He let you talk to him?” Shining Armor interrupted with a hopeful tone, a bit of a spark in his eye. “Is Blue alright?”

“He’s…” Cadence frowned, looking between the two stallions. “Distant. I had a nurse look at his leg, but he hasn’t talked much since then. I didn’t want to push him too hard.”

“I knew I saw blood…” Shining Armor mumbled. Fancy Pants was sure that if the prince wasn’t already, he would soon taste blood in his mouth from how tightly his teeth clenched over his cheek.

“I apologize that we require you to get right down to business so quickly,” Cadence said to the older unicorn, her eyes glancing to the doorway. “But if you came all this way on such short notice, I believe you care about Blueblood. I wish we could talk a bit more, but I believe Blueblood should be our priority right now. I didn’t tell him you were coming. I thought it might be best to try not to make him stress over it. Shining and I will give you two some privacy. We can check up on your two later if he doesn’t… well, if he wants to see you.”

“R-Right.” Fancy Pants suddenly felt his chest clench up a bit. The thought hit him once more that Blueblood might not want to see him. He gave a look to Cadence and Shining Armor. Cadence was still smiling politely to him, but Shining Armor stared hard at the large double doors.

“Blue’s waiting for you.” Shining Armor’s gaze shifted to Fancy Pants. “Please don’t let him down.”

Fancy Pants nodded to the captain, turning slowly to the doorway. He could see out of the corner of his eye Cadence dragging Shining along by the hoof away from the room when he turned the knob with his magic.

It suddenly occurred to the stallion that he had never actually entered Prince Blueblood’s bedroom before. Every time he had imagined such a thing, it had been under much better circumstances than the one at hoof. When the tile had shifted from a bright pink to a dark purple right under his hooves and kept going on and on, he realized the room was massive.

He closed the door behind him gently, trying his best to be quiet as his eyes scanned around the room. The bed was massive, possibly bigger than a king size. The blankets were ruffled and messy, as if the prince had been tossing and turning all night long.

Fancy Pants looked straight ahead to the balcony when he had managed to make his way to the bed. He could see him, Blueblood sitting there gazing up at the cloudy sky. What little sunlight there was in the sky hit his body, giving it a sense that it was glowing. Fancy Pants took silent steps forward, unable to look away from the prince. It was perhaps the first time he had seen Blueblood without any sort of dress clothing. The muscles in the prince’s body were outlined clearly when he took in a breath. The fur on his chest which was usually exposed looked much softer and fluffier than the rest of his body.

The unicorn could feel his chest beat when he stared at Blueblood. He couldn’t determine if worry or excitement was flowing through him at seeing Blueblood. Either way, he realized he was holding his breath.

“Was it a guard, Cadence?” Blueblood’s eyes turned towards Fancy Pants. The two seemed to stay like that for a while, gazing into each other’s eyes. It must have taken the prince several moments to fully register the unicorn in front of him. He blinked when he looked at Fancy Pants, his eyes widening and the muscles in his body tensing up.

“F-Fancy Pants!” His voice was shrill, yet Fancy Pants couldn’t tear his eyes away from Blueblood’s well-toned body and fluffed up chest. He hadn’t expected his heart to beat so loudly that the whole castle must have heard it just by seeing a stallion in casual attire. Blueblood had jumped to his hooves, and that seemed to only show off more of his chest. “How did… why are… You can’t be here!”

“I apologize for coming in so unexpectedly.” Fancy Pants struggled to find his voice, but he did take a step forward towards the prince. He wanted desperately for his heart to settle down.

Blueblood was fidgeting every few moments, his hind pressing up against the balcony railing. He seemed to want to back up but couldn’t find the room, eyes cast away from Fancy Pants.

“Please… Fancy…” Blueblood’s words sounded hoarse to Fancy Pant’s ears. He could tell right away that the prince was struggling to keep his eyes from watering. The voice of the other was hoarse, as if he had been crying for hours.

Fancy Pants blinked, mild confusion settling over him. It was almost hard to notice Prince Blueblood’s ruffled coat and messy mane, let alone his red eyes. It was honestly the first time he had noticed all of those little details. His eyes fell upon Blueblood’s bandaged leg.

“Are you alright?” Were the first words to fall from Fancy Pants’ mouth. “You aren’t hurt badly, are you? What happened?”

Blueblood looked to his friend with mild confusion before he gripped at his bandaged arm. He shook his head slowly in response. Fancy’s sigh of relief must have sounded like thunder, for Blueblood shut his eyes firmly.

“I did something foolish.” The prince grumbled under his breath. “You don’t want to look at me right now. I look awful. I didn’t bathe or groom or anything today.”

“I didn’t even notice… Truly I didn’t,” Fancy Pants chuckled. He knew his cheeks must have been aflush by now if they hadn’t been long before. “Can I join you?”

“I…” Blueblood seemed to want to deny him, but something kept him from refusing. He looked away, seating himself down. Fancy Pants took a few hesitant steps forward, and when Blueblood had not spoken the older unicorn seated himself next to Blueblood. He left a few feet between them, not wanting to upset the stallion with his own selfish desires.

“You can’t be here.” Blueblood repeated himself. He clenched a hoof over his chest, refusing to look at the other. Fancy Pants found himself frowning when he realized Blueblood’s body was trembling.

Fancy Pants reached out a hesitant hoof, thankful that Blueblood did nothing more than shut his eyes when he rested it on the other’s shoulder. A cold breeze suddenly blew on the two, and Fancy Pants could feel his eyes widen.

“You’re cold… here, take this,” Fancy Pants mumbled. Blueblood glanced to him, confusion in his eyes when Fancy Pants began to take off his jacket slowly. As it slipped off of his body only his dress shirt and black bow-tie remained. He put the coat over Blueblood’s shoulders, thankful that the prince didn’t argue against him. “There. Just how long have you been sitting out here?”

“A while,” Blueblood said under his breath. He pulled on the jacket tightly as if it were a blanket. “Your cologne still smells the same… You’re right, I like it now.”

For a brief moment he noticed the tiniest hints of a smile on Blueblood’s lips. Their eyes briefly met once more, Blueblood averting his gaze quickly. The smile vanished, and he quickly looked to the floor of the balcony.

“Shining Armor came to get me. I… I was worried about you.” Fancy Pants tried to keep his voice gentle. He wanted to run his hoof down Blueblood’s mane and feel his blonde locks of hair. Something told him the prince wouldn’t appreciate a touch like that right now. “You look a bit worse for wear… I suppose we’re both in that boat. My head is still pounding from last night.”

“Are you okay?” Blueblood asked suddenly, his sight firing to Fancy Pants. “I mean, I left so fast. I didn’t know if I could do anything… Fleur knew everything to do and I just stood around being useless.”

“I’m glad you were there.” Fancy Pants smiled. He was glad to see Blueblood loosen his muscles a bit. “I can’t begin to think what trouble I would have gotten into if your carriage wasn’t there. It’s my fault for being such an awful lightweight.”

“Fleur was so kind to you,” Blueblood mumbled under his breath. “She had her hooves all over you like it was natural… and she didn’t look embarrassed at all about it. I mean, I heard rumors that you two were an item, but the way you always treated me made me think…”

Blueblood grew silent. The prince seemed to be blushing as he bit on his lip. His eyes looked like they were watering up again, perhaps out of embarrassment, so he shut them.

“Fleur is my model.” Fancy Pants assured. He reached out his hoof to grasp Blueblood’s own. He held it tightly, bringing it to his chest. “Nothing else. Believe me, I wouldn’t date her without making it well known.”

Blueblood didn’t respond to that, perhaps in thought over the topic. Whatever had happened earlier, he still seemed shaken up over it. “Do you remember when I told you the story of the prince with two lovers?”

“Of course.” Fancy Pants nodded his head. He watched Blueblood open his eyes, the hoof that was in Fancy’s grasp tightening its grip.

“I’m such a fool.” Blueblood’s voice was nearly a whimper. The prince stared out into the kingdom, using a hoof to hide his face from Fancy Pants. “The prince wasn’t selfish. He was a fool. He couldn’t decide if his feelings were in the past or in the present. He dug his grave by his own actions and was just an idiot through and through.”

Fancy Pants could hear Blueblood attempt to hold his breath and conceal whatever emotions he was experiencing.

“I kissed Shining.” Blueblood ripped his hoof from Fancy Pants’ grasp and planted it over his eye. “I don’t know what I was thinking. I thought that maybe if I did he would understand and it would fix everything… I thought it might be like how I always imagined it would be.”

“It’s…” Fancy Pants couldn't help but feel that same cold ice from before return in his chest. His head pounded and stomach turned, but he managed to keep himself quiet. Fancy Pants had to tighten the muscles in his legs, reminding himself again and again that he had no right to be upset. “It’s okay that you kissed Shining Armor. You’ve always had feelings for him, if I recall.”

“But I didn’t!” Blueblood’s voice was on edge. “I didn’t feel anything for him! It didn’t make me happy or make anything he was yelling at me go away. The whole time I just thought of… somepony else… I thought how much I wanted it to be them. And now everything is worse…”

Fancy Pants’ heart came back to life with a single beat.

“I’ve never felt magic that strong before.” Blueblood’s voice was quiet as he put a hoof to the tip of his horn. “I don’t even know where any of it came from.”

“Magic?” Fancy Pants tilted his head.

“When he… I just wanted him gone more than anything,” Blueblood tightened his hooves on the end of Fancy Pants’ jacket. “I didn’t even think about it. Before I knew it there was glass everywhere and Shining was on the ground.”

“Well,” Fancy Pants put a hoof to his chin. “Depending on how clear my own head is, or how strong my drive is, magic is always dependant on my emotional state… Did you hurt yourself terribly in the glass?” Fancy Pants let his eyes fall onto Blueblood’s foreleg once more.

“I can’t even tell you to go away,” Blueblood whimpered again, his tears spilling over for the first time. “I’m no better than that prince in the story who I hated for so long. I just… I want you here more than anything. You shouldn’t be here after I did something so foolish. It was so disgusting… I can still taste it.”

“I’m glad I’m here.” Fancy Pants leaned over, resting one hoof on the other’s cheek. He used his other foreleg to grab Blueblood’s hoof again. Blueblood looked away from him, the guilt seeping into his skin the more Fancy was kind to him. “You shouldn’t be so upset over kissing a stallion when I… I think about kissing you almost every day since I've met you."

Those were the words that made Blueblood look to Fancy Pants. He opened his mouth in an attempt to say something, yet he couldn’t find the answer. His mouth hung agape for quite a while before he managed to close it.

“You mean that you?” Blueblood struggled to ask without his words shaking.

“I know we have a bit of an age gap.” Fancy Pants chuckled nervously. He had finally gained the attention from Blueblood he so desperately wanted. He could feel his cheeks flush. “Twelve years is a long time, I know. Shining is probably much more attractive than I’ve been in quite some time. I don’t want you to accept my feelings because of pity, but truly I… I care about you.”

“I…” Blueblood’s chest tightened as he clamped a hoof over it. His lips moved but no words came out. His breath grew heavy. He closed his eyes tighter than Fancy Pants thought possible. He struggled with the words that wouldn’t seem to flow. Fancy Pants grabbed his hoof and pulled it from his chest, grasping it tightly in his own. Blueblood’s eyes looked as though they were watering again as he put his free hoof over his mouth.

“Blueblood, wait, please don’t get upse-”

Blueblood freed his hoof from Fancy Pants’ grasp and settled them both on either side of the older’s face. His hooves were soft and tender, but their eyes met for just a moment, the world growing very quiet for that single moment. He leaned in to press his lips against Fancy Pants’ own, yet their noses met and lips didn’t. Fancy Pants blinked his eyes, Blueblood pulling away several inches.

“I… I wanted too…” Blueblood’s tears seemed to look a bit more genuine this time, his cheeks bright pink. “I-I’m sorry… I screwed up…”

“Wanted to do, this?” Fancy Pants quickly attempted to savor the moment.

Fancy Pants’ legs wrapped themselves around Blueblood’s body. He pulled the prince close to him, his crush’s fluffy chest pressing up against his dress shirt. When he leaned in, cocking his head just enough so their noses wouldn’t collide, he felt Blueblood’s muscles relax. The other’s lips were softer than he had ever imagined, so warm and gentle. Blueblood pushed a bit too hard, perhaps unsure if he was doing the actions correctly. That only made Fancy Pants hold him tighter.

Blueblood’s legs clung to Fancy with strength he did not know the younger possessed. It felt as though Blueblood wanted to melt into him when his body ceased being so tense. His muscles relaxed and he pushed himself up against Fancy, a few tufts of hair brushing against the older unicorn’s chest. His heart pounded like a hammer smashing up against Fancy’s chest. His lips pressed back up when Fancy Pants attempted to pull himself away, pressing back down once more on the older’s lips. He pulled away slowly, savoring every last moment. They nuzzled their noses together briefly, craving the smell of each other.

Fancy Pants pulled back a bit, staring into Blueblood’s eyes. The world seemed very quiet aside from Blueblood’s breathing and his own heart. Blueblood’s body wasn’t tense in the slightest, in fact it was possibly more relaxed than Fancy had ever felt him.

“Are you sure?” Blueblood mumbled, their lips less than an inch apart. “Am I… Am I good enough?”

“Little late for that, Sweetheart.” Fancy Pants chuckled. He ran his hooves through the other’s mane. “Please don’t talk like that, you’re fantastic.”

When Blueblood properly parted lips, Fancy Pants found his neck craning forward to savor the final few seconds. When their eyes met, Blueblood’s face grew even redder than before. Fancy Pants let his legs lower just a touch, holding his hooves on Blueblood’s sides.

“Is your leg alright?” Fancy questioned when he ran his hoof up and down the bandaged foreleg. “That was a bit spontaneous for you.”

“I’m fine.” Blueblood chuckled. “There were more things important to focus on.”

“Oh, like the weather? Yes, it does look rather dreary. Perhaps we should head inside.” Fancy tried to keep a straight face, but when a hoof jabbed itself into his side he began to laugh. He squeezed his hold on Blueblood, only wanting to be closer.

“Cadence told me one time...” Blueblood’s face held a small smile. It was a soft smile that lit up Fancy Pants’s heart. “That your second kiss is always better than your first.”

“How about your third?” Fancy Pants said, his grin feeling rather wicked as he grabbed at Blueblood’s chin with his hoof.

“Sh-She never… talked about the third…” Blueblood chuckled, though nerves were beginning to paint themselves on his fur. “But I don’t think that…did you like it at all?”

“Prince Blueblood,” Fancy Pants tried his best to sound the least bit formal over his bubbly words. He ran his hooves up and down Blueblood’s sides slowly. “Now that you’ve given me just one, I intend to make you spoil me rotten.”

This time it was Fancy who kissed first, their lips falling back into place. Blueblood managed to knock the other’s monocle right off his face when Fancy Pants opened his lips. Blueblood did the same, though a bit more slowly. Fancy let his tongue into the other’s mouth gently, not wanting to be so forceful as he tasted the other’s mouth. He let himself lead the kiss, sensing Blueblood’s nerves kick in when the muscles on his sides tensed up. They parted briefly only for air every few moments as Blueblood pushed up against Fancy Pants. Fancy Pants could swear he heard a tiny moan. It was messy, mostly from Blueblood’s end, yet somehow Fancy Pants only craved more each passing second.

The older unicorn began to giggle as he pulled his tongue back into his own mouth. He could feel Blueblood’s smile push against his own. It was better than he had ever imagined.

When they parted, Fancy Pants found his lips pressing up against Blueblood’s wet cheek. He tried his best to go slow despite the pounding in his chest demanding more. Blueblood wrapped his forelegs around Fancy Pants with a tiny giggle. He kissed that area quite a few times until he felt his back begin to feel damp.

It was a struggle to pull away. When the third drop hit his ear, he managed to look up to the sky.

“Pity. We should head inside,” Fancy Pants chuckled, the rain beginning to dampen his dress shirt. “As much as we would both enjoy it, I don’t think getting soaking wet is very good for our health.”

Blueblood nodded slowly, though he seemed hesitant on release himself from Fancy Pants’ hold.

Fancy stoop up slowly, using his hoof to help Blueblood to his. He pulled Blueblood inside before he shut the door to the balcony. The rain quickly began to fall and splatter on their previous seat.

“You kissed me. It was so… messy and touchy.”

“You didn’t enjoy it?” Fancy Pants asked. Hesitation was in his tone as he looked out the window. He could see Blueblood’s reflection wander away out of sight.

“I never said that.” Blueblood’s mumbled.

Fancy Pants glanced to Blueblood, who had moved over to his bed. The prince currently had both hooves clamped over his cheeks to giggle at his own words. He covered his smile a few times and even pressed on it, but it refused to leave his face. In fact, it looked like he was struggling to contain his happiness by the way he kept squirming.

“I’d be happy to do it again,” Fancy pants chuckled as he walked over. He put his hooves on Blueblood’s sides once more before pressing a hoof up against the prince’s chest.

“I want to bury my face in there.” Fancy Pants stated.

“Uh… I uh… okay…” Blueblood’s chest was tense at the touch of the unicorn.

It was softer than he could have dreamed of. It took all his effort not to start kissing the prince all over again starting from the chest, the pounding of his new lover’s heart pressing up against his nose. He never wanted to leave.

“Do you… like it?” Blueblood questioned. He squirmed a bit when Fancy Pants giggled, and the older unicorn wasn’t positive if it was because it tickled or because it felt strange.

“I love it,” Fancy Pants affirmed. “And I love you, Sweetheart.”

“Okay!” Blueblood nearly shouted in a shrill voice, his heart giving a very loud pound.

Fancy Pants had mumbled the words, though he knew that Blueblood had already tightened his body. His own smile faltered briefly as he looked up and into Blueblood’s cyan eyes. The prince seemed to be struggling to speak, his mouth opening and closing before he rested his hooves in Fancy Pants’ mane.

“Okay… I… I uh…” Blueblood closed his eyes.

“You don’t have to listen to an old man’s silly mumblings.” Fancy Pants laughed, crawling up onto the best next to Blueblood. “I just… it felt right to say it. I fear I’ve become a bit of a hopeless romantic around you. One kiss and I can’t even hold my tongue.”

He felt Blueblood embrace him, pulling him on top of the prince as they lay on the bed together. He knew that Blueblood wouldn’t be able to reply given the words he had already let spill, but just that embrace made him feel warm throughout his entire body. Blueblood was hiding his face in Fancy Pant’s mane, his grip tight as his body curled up slightly.

“Will you stay with me tonight?” Blueblood asked. The prince was running his hooves over Fancy Pants’ mane, burying his face deep into it. “It’s been a very long day… I don’t want you to leave me. We can do whatever you want... Please let me be selfish tonight.”

The castle suddenly didn’t feel nearly as empty and dull as it had before. Fancy crawled up Blueblood’s body those last few inches to press his muzzle against Blueblood’s lips yet again. When he managed to pry himself from those lips, he was smiling like a fool once more. “Of course I'll stay with you, Sweetheart.”

Hybrid

“I do believe that I could easily get used to the royal life.” Fancy Pants let out a yawn and outstretched his leg from the water of the bath tub. Blueblood was able to see several drops fall from his foreleg back into the tub. The prince giggled at just how relaxed Fancy Pants looked in the steaming water and lifted his hoof to pull down the golden faucet.

The room was covered in steam already, and it was hard to see anything except Fancy Pants. The lavender paint looked damp, the jewel encrusted mirror steamed to the point where anything in it was unrecognizable.

“Are you… comfortable with this?” Blueblood asked. His eyes shifted to Fancy Pants, the unicorn currently cupping water in his hooves to splash at his face.

“I think that’s my line, actually,” Fancy Pants rubbed his hooves over his eyes before shaking his head. His eyes seemed to open a little wider than before. “I’ve bathed with more than one pony in my lifetime you know. I didn’t expect you to take me seriously when I offered to soap you up.”

“It’s not that. I just…” Blueblood didn’t seem sure what he wanted to say. He sunk into the water until it was at his nose. Fancy Pants reached out a hoof to take Blueblood’s own, pulling him a few inches closer. “I don’t want to be alone right now… being with you makes me happy.”

“The last thing I want to do now is push you,” Fancy Pants said softly, staring straight into the prince’s cyan eyes. “But I suppose we’re both in need of some cleaning up. And honestly this tub is so big we don’t even have to touch each other.”

“You don’t have to be so dramatic about the whole thing,” Blueblood giggled when he rolled his eyes at his new lover. He found himself stealing glances towards the unicorn’s outstretched body through the rippling water. He scooted himself closer. “I’m sure your bathroom is just as nice.”

“My bathroom does not have a bathtub big enough to do laps in,” Fancy Pants argued, demonstrating by spreading out his legs as far as they would go. Blueblood still had plenty of room after he did so. “Well, perhaps a foal could.”

“I used to swim in here when I was a foal.” Blueblood smiled and moved over to Fancy Pants. “Actually when I was really little I used to be afraid of this tub, because my hooves couldn’t touch the bottom unless I stood up on my back legs.”

“It really is a room built for royalty I suppose,” Fancy Pants chuckled. He watched Blueblood rise from the water, drops of liquid spilling off his body. The prince leaned over the edge and reached for two bottles, one red and one purple. He could feel Fancy Pants run a hoof down his side, eyes staring at one area. The prince’s tail began to swish back and forth with a hint of irritability the lower Fancy’s hoof slid. “I guess that isn’t the only thing in your room that’s a bit larger than expected.”

“Oh will you can it?” Blueblood grumbled. He got back into the steaming water and slapped away Fancy's hoof. He knew his cheeks were blushing by the way Fancy pressed his lips against them. He set the two bottles on the edge of the tub. “Honestly I’m beginning to think you were nothing more than a dirty old man who’s impersonated the famous Fancy Pants this entire time.”

Fancy Pants tugged on Blueblood’s foreleg to pull the prince close. Somehow he had managed to convince Blueblood to lay on his chest even after that comment with little more than a tug. He ran his hoof gently over the other’s foreleg to stare at the long cut that ran down it.

“This isn’t hurting too badly, is it?” Fancy Pants questioned the prince. He grabbed the other’s foreleg with a tender hoof and inspected the cut. “It does look quite nasty.”

“It stung some when we got in,” Blueblood shrugged. Fancy Pants began to run his damp hooves over the prince’s fluffed chest in small circles. “It doesn’t hurt so bad anymore.”

“I take it you’re feeling a bit better?” Fancy Pants asked, his hooves on either side of Blueblood to hold him still. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you quite this happy.”

“I certainly do feel better than I have in quite a while,” Blueblood said in a quiet tone. He wrapped his hooves around Fancy’s body. The touch was light at first. It forced Blueblood to stare through the water to make sure he was putting his hooves in the right spot. He pressed them up and down a few times as if he wasn’t positive where he wanted to keep them. “I feel a bit messy though… I didn’t expect it to be so dirty.”

“Well that happens when you get royally fucked.” Fancy Pants grinned devilishly. He slapped his hooves on either side of Blueblood's body, the prince beginning to squirm in his grasp. The way Blueblood’s face had lit up red made his smile stretch until it could grow no bigger.

“How… I…” Blueblood couldn’t look at his new lover for a few moments after that. “H-How long have you been thinking of that bad joke?”

“Somepony’s a bit nervous,” Fancy Pants teased. He used his forelegs to pull Blueblood closer to him. Blueblood merely blushed, unable to do much but nod his head. “You know you didn’t have to bathe with me if things are moving a bit too fast.”

“I want to be here,” Blueblood sat up slightly so he was looking down at the other. “Besides, we both smell like your cheap cologne now. I take it back it smells weird.”

“I’ll have you know my cologne, while being reasonably cheap for a fair bargain, is by no means a bad smell.” Fancy Pants lifted his hoof to grasp at the other’s chin, looking into his cyan eyes. “I’ve been told by several beautiful mares and handsome stallions that it makes me smell like saw dust and cinnamon.”

“You’re honestly no better than Cadence and all her perfumes.” Blueblood pushed away Fancy’s hoof. The older unicorn had a devious grin on his face when he leaned in.

“Oh really? I’m the one who smells like a princess?” Fancy Pants questioned the other before he grabbed at Blueblood’s face, forcing his muzzle against the other’s neck. Blueblood could feel the other’s nostrils flare and mustache rub up against the underside of his chin and down his neck. “Oh, from right here you smell like nothing but rose bushes and flower beds, mister manly prince.”

“F-Fheheheancy!” Blueblood whined, the touch of the unicorn’s mustache tormenting his soft neck. The lips moving against it seemed to somehow make the situation worse. Blueblood giggled helplessly, not bearing enough strength to push Fancy away. His body squirmed in Fancy Pants’ iron grasp, unable to break free.

When Fancy Pants had finally released him, Blueblood nearly fell into the water. He was only stopped by Fancy grabbing him by his good leg and holding him at a foreleg’s reach. He brought the prince's hoof to his cheek and kissed it softly.

“Looks like the prince is a bit ticklish,” Fancy Pants laughed. He released Blueblood and watched the stallion rub at his neck. “Good to know. On a completely unrelated note, which soap do you want scrubbed into your body by my hooves? Mostly on your belly so I can hear you laugh again,” Fancy Pants nearly sung those words. He put his forelegs behind his head as he used his magic to grab at the two bottles that Blueblood had pulled out. “Lavender purple or rose red?”

“You were serious about wanting to wash me?” Blueblood asked, a brief flash of concern in his tone. “Honestly I thought you were joking about that. I never even let my butler wash me when I was little because it always tickled. Why would I want to let you tickle me intentionally?"

“Oh, so you hate being tickled?” Fancy Pants questioned.

“What sane pony doesn’t?” Blueblood snapped at the other. “Your moustache is absolutely awful, I must say. Honestly, I can’t believe I can stand you kissing me with that thing. It runs up my nose and makes me want to sneeze.”

“Well I enjoy being tickled well enough.” Fancy Pants grinned. He lifted his hind leg in the water to push up against Prince Blueblood’s abdomen. Blueblood knocked it aside with a half-hearted kick with his foreleg. “It’s always been a bit fun to me. I’d go so far as to call it pleasant.”

“You are truly an absolute mad-man,” Blueblood smiled and drew himself closer to Fancy Pants again. He placed both his hooves on Fancy Pants’ sides, stroking them up and down through the water over his round belly. He watched Fancy’s lips move just a bit until he saw them peel and reveal his white teeth. He would giggle if Blueblood poked at him, but he always kept his forelegs above and behind his head. “A-Am I being weird?” Blueblood asked quickly, his hooves hesitant to press down.

“Only as weird as I am for grabbing at you.” Fancy Pants teased. He giggled some more when Blueblood’s hooves dug into him.

The prince moved his hooves onto Fancy Pants’ belly before he ran his hooves up and down and around in circles. By now the other was squirming, but he still kept his relaxed position. Blueblood’s face began to show a smile the more Fancy Pants laughed.

“You’re belly is big,” Blueblood mumbled, feeling the round outline of his lover’s body. The more he pressed his hooves down the more he felt fat mixed in with muscle. While most of the stallion’s body felt rough, this one area felt soft. “I like it though… It fits you a lot. It feels nice to lay on too… it… it looks nice to me.”

“It’s… Hehehe… Quit enjoyable” Fancy was still giggling and squirming, but his eyes still looked happy during it to the extent where Blueblood began to believe him. Blueblood could feel a blush coming onto his cheeks. “It’s quite benefiting to be tickled by such a dashing stallion putting his hooves all over me.”

“Oh can it, you dirty old man,” Blueblood gave the other’s stomach a squeeze. It was possibly the highest he had ever heard Fancy’s voice reach.

“Ow, you sure are strong,” Fancy whined, feeling his body with his own hooves where the prince had pinched at him. He quickly snatched up the bottle of red soap with his magic and waggled it in front of Blueblood’s eyes. “Can this dirty old man at the very least wash your back? If it tickles, I give you permission to pinch me again.”

Blueblood was hesitant for a few moments, though something told him that the look in Fancy Pant’s eyes was nothing short of determination. He let out a sigh before he finally nodded. “Fine.”

“Excellent.” Fancy Pants rubbed his hooves together before he swished around the water a bit with his movements. He put Blueblood at the edge of the tub, instructing him to lean against the edge. Most of his back was exposed when he did so, the tip of his blonde tail swishing gently in the water as he looked behind him to Fancy Pants.

“If it tickles I’m making you leave until I’m done washing,” Blueblood warned. "I will hit you, I promise."

“A challenge!” Fancy Pants grinned when he popped open the bottle. A strong scent of roses hit his nose as he squeezed out a hooffull onto Blueblood’s back. The prince shivered at the cold sensation when he felt Fancy press a hoof down. He used his free hoof to bring up small bits of warm water to help the soak sink in a bit better. Soon the bubbles began to turn bright pink at his touch.

Blueblood’s body was tense at first. It took a minute, but eventually Fancy Pant’s hooves coaxed him to relax a bit more. He managed to take his eyes off of the other long enough to look forward at the door.

“Shining and Cadence are going to check up on us eventually… right?” He questioned.

“Mhmm,” Fancy Pants seemed to be moving his hooves carefully when he got closer to Blueblood’s sides. He knew full well how dangerous the area could be to his challenge. “They didn’t say when, though.”

“Do you think that… that Shining will be mad at me?” Blueblood asked the other. He buried his face in his forelegs. “He’s only been mad at me a few times before… Most of the time he forgave me quick enough. I think he was mad at me a lot of the time the first few weeks. He always hid it well, but he always looked frustrated with how little I cooperated.”

“So you’re saying you’ve always been stubborn?” Fancy Pants asked in a joking manner. Perhaps it was an attempt to lighten the mood just a bit, but the prince only shrugged his shoulders in response.

“Shining Armor didn’t seem like he was angry at you in the slightest.” Fancy Pants frowned, leaning forward to press his lips against Blueblood’s ear. Blueblood flicked it up against his lover’s moustache, but it only made Fancy Pants giggle. “He misses how things used to be between you three is all, Sweetheart.”

“When I thought about Shining and I being together, I always thought that things would be the same. We would kiss some and go on dates, but everything would be the same.” Blueblood tightened the muscles in his forelegs. “I’m not sure what to think of him now… He’s always been the pony I wanted. My father used to tell me that I cared far too much for some common royal guard… but now when I think of him like that, I don’t want it. All I want is you.”

Blueblood knew his cheeks were pink again. He was glad that Fancy Pants didn’t comment on it, for his chest began to feel tight the more he thought about Shining Armor. Only one question was on his mind.

“Can things really go back to normal? Even if he knows how I felt?” Blueblood asked as Fancy’s hooves sunk deep into his muscles.

“That all depends on what you want, I suppose,” Fancy Pants answered when he drew up water with his magic to run over Blueblood’s back. “I don’t want to try and pressure you and tell you what you want. You’re far too old for some grumpy old man to be telling you what to do with your life.”

Blueblood nodded his head. He stared at the doorway briefly, his belly turning as he thought about what lie beyond it. He felt Fancy’s hoof slip and run down his side, a brief eruption of giggles coming from Blueblood’s mouth.

“Shoot, er…” Fancy Pants grumbled under his breath for a few moments. “Can you at least not pinch quite as hard this time?”

"I think I actually get why you like to be tickled, honestly," Blueblood did take a moment to enjoy Fancy's hooves running over his body, even if they did make him want to kick. “Can I wash your back after this instead?” He tried his best to put on a smile, which admittedly wasn’t hard looking at Fancy Pants.. “If you don’t mind smelling like a field of flowers, that is. I just… want a few more minutes to be alone with you.

“Sweetheart,” Fancy Pants spoke as Blueblood turned around. He passed the prince the purple bottle of soap. “It offends me you even need to ask that question. You can wash every inch of me if you like.

"Don't get greedy." Blueblood pinched Fancy's belly again. Fancy let out what was between a laugh and a yelp, but still handed over the bottles. Blueblood it in hoof and gave Fancy Pants a smile.

“Thank you, Fancy.”

Herbicide

Prince Blueblood tried to clamp his hooves over his ears to block out the noise of bells that rang throughout Canterlot. His trembling hooves wouldn’t hold still no matter how hard he pressed down, letting in that awful noise. He clutched a hoof over his chest and began to pull at his black coat and black tie, ripping open his dress shirt when he began to gasp for air.

The castle felt bare, as if everypony inside of it had vanished. No butlers nor maids were in the castle, and in fact Blueblood had only passed five royal guards on his way through. When he let his eyes glance out the window towards the direction of the castle garden, he spotted a parade of ponies young and old all dressed in black and trotting their way deep into the castle. They were all headed for the same place, the royal family mausoleum.

“Shut up!” The prince finally screamed, the sound of the bells only barely concealed by the rain splattering up against the window. He continued to claw and grab at his chest, something still feeling as though it were constricting his breath. He leaned up against the window for support, taking in deep breaths one at a time.

Blueblood threw his tie against the ground and stamped on it with all his strength. He shut his blue eyes firmly, tighter than he ever thought possible. Eventually he collapsed, falling to the ground and landing on his hindquarters and leaning his back against the wall.

“Blue!”

Blueblood clamped his hooves over his ears once more, squeezing his skin until it began to burn. He could hear four pairs of hooves all come rushing towards him, stopping short a good eight feet away from him.

“Go. Away. Now.” Blueblood took a single deep breath. He let himself look to the hooves of his friends, both Shining Armor and Cadence standing breathless. Did they really run all throughout the castle just looking for him? Cadence’s dress was black, as was Shining Armor’s suit.

“Blue, calm down.” Shining Armor took a step forward, however Cadence lifted her hoof and pulled him back. He looked at her with what could only be described as a look of desperation. “Please, we were just worried about you. Everypony is worried about you.”

“Blueblood...” Cadence’s voice was softer, more natural that Shining Armor’s had been. “I know this is hard for you, and I’m sor-”

“Sh-Shut up!” Blueblood yelled, jumping to his hooves in one motion. Cadence took a step back, her eyes giving off a spark of fear that melted into pity. Blueblood could feel his chest burn like fire and continued to rake his hoof over it trying to force in air. It was red by now, as much as he had been picking at it. “Just shut the buck up!”

“Blueblood, we’re your friends.” Cadence’s voice was calmer than her eyes. She took a step forward, and Blueblood only flinched. “We’re not like those awful reporters outside, I promise. Please calm down.”

“Who in Luna’s name even invited all of them?” Shining Armor snapped, not at either of his friends, but just in general. He stamped his hoof on the red carpet. “Vultures like that already make Canterlot bad enough.”

“It’s a public funeral.” Cadence put her hoof over Shining Armor’s own. “Turning them away would cause an even bigger scene than just letting them in.”

“Yeah, but…” Shining Armor’s mouth hung open for a few moments before he turned away from the two, shaking his head. The muscles in his legs tightened and loosened, a heavy silence falling upon the three.

“There isn’t even a statue build yet,” Blueblood wanted to stamp his hoof. He could feel four eyes bore into him, so he shut his own. “I went last night and checked. There’s a statue for Prince Royal Heart, Princess Starlight, my grandfather… my mother… but nothing for my father.”

“You went to the mausoleum alone…?” Shining Armor asked, though a jab from Cadence made him quiet down. He rubbed at the area, but his eyes never left Blueblood.

“Do you think they had a statue of her when she died giving birth to me?,” Blueblood questioned, staring out into the rain.

“Her?” Shining Armor tilted his head.

“My mother,” Blueblood grasped at his foreleg. “She… She died very suddenly, like my father. Nopony expected it… like my father.”

“It would be a tad grim to have a statue for your tomb made for you when you’re still alive, Blueblood.” Cadence’s voice was still tender, though nothing watered his fiery chest.

“Why not?” Blueblood snapped. “What if they forget his face? What if they can’t get all the details right from all the paintings and photos? It seems too last minute and unprepared and rushed and.. and… It’s starting to fade already.”

“What’s starting to fade?” Cadence was the one to speak this time. She took a step forward. Blueblood flinched.

“His face!” Blueblood yelled. “Just like her’s did! My father stared at her stupid pictures every day… He never talked about her… I think it hurt too much.” The stallion wrapped his legs around his body. “I never… never thought to look at his face too closely. I was scared he would just yell and…”

“Blue, listen to m-”

“Why is it raining?” Blueblood’s words were venom on his tongue. That seemed to quite his friends down. He pointed at the window with a shaking hoof, eyes locked on his two friends as he took a step towards them that was nearly in sync with a smash of thunder. “Just why would Cloudsdale decide that it was a good idea to make it rain today of all days?”

“It’s tradition.” Cadence glanced to the window and then back at Blueblood. “Whenever a royal family member passes away, the pegasi gather the clouds and the earth ponies ring the bells in town while the unicorns put them to rest. It’s been like this for a dozen generations, maybe more.”

“It’s tacky.” Blueblood felt like spitting at the window, a vile taste in his mouth. “It’s disgusting and cliche and dirty. Who wants to get wet when they sit in the cold and listen how some pony they never thought about for more than five seconds at a time lived his life?”

“Blue, you need to calm down.” Shining Armor took three steps forward, enough to make Blueblood’s heart sink. “You can’t just walk out of a funeral like that. Ponies are going to talk and say things and… Look, I’m sorr-”

“I don’t care!” Blueblood’s voice was just above a yell when he interrupted Shining Armor. “I’m so sick of hearing how sorry ponies are for me!”

“Blue, no, I didn’t mean it like that.” Shining Armorlooked away from Blueblood.

“All day, for three days every single pony I’ve seen just wants to tell me how sorry they are.” Blueblood could feel his eyes water when he wrapped his legs around himself to keep from crumbling apart. “I’m tired of it, I’m tired of ponies feeling sorry and upset and telling me again and again how big of a loss it was!”

Blueblood clamped a hoof over his eye, feeling it become wet. He grinded his teeth together, the bells in the distance still ringing in his ears. “Celestia called off my wedding this morning. She sent a letter to my fiance and said that due to the circumstances I wouldn’t be marrying her on my birthday.”

“That’s… a bright spot, at least.” Cadence tried to smile, though it was a failed attempt. She sat on her hind legs and began to fiddle with her hooves. “At least that isn’t hanging over all our heads anymore.”

“Yeah, that’s a really good thing!” Shining Armor spoke up, another step closer to his friend. “Look, I’m not even going to pretend I know how you feel right now. I miss Twilight since she’s been away for so long, but I know that’s not the same. I know your dad was awful at times, and we both talked about that… but I know he was your dad and you loved him.”

“He… my father…” Blueblood grabbed at his bare chest once more. He could feel his lips bend into a frown and soon a grimace. Something hurt deep inside of him, something he couldn’t pinpoint. He turned away from his two friends, letting a sniffle fill the silence. “I never told him I loved him.”

“What?” Shining Armor sounded more shocked than Blueblood could imagine.

“I mean… I must have at some point, right?” Blueblood asked, staring down at the palms of his hooves before he buried them into his mane. “I’ve been trying and trying to think, but I don’t remember ever saying that. I remember him yelling at me for so many trivial things, I remember him telling me I looked proper enough but I needed to fix this and that and nothing was ever good enough for him! I was too scared of him to even tell him I didn’t want to marry that mare!” Blueblood pulled on his mane until it hurt. “I told him I loved him when I was little… but I can’t remember the last time I…”

Blueblood could feel tears spill past his eyes. He felt a brief fire ignite and spread across his chest, anger filling his body. “I hated him!” He slammed his hoof on the ground in a thunderous echo. He grinded so hard on his teeth that his ears began to ring. He hit his other hoof against the ground. “I hated him! I hated him! I hated him! I HATED HIM!”

“Blue…”

“WHY?” Blueblood hit his hoof against the ground harder and harder with each word. His left leg began to ache the harder he hit down, the sting of the pain blocking out the fire in his chest. “WHY WILL EVERYPONY MISS HIM BUT ME!?”

“Blue!” Shining Armor ran forward and grabbed Blueblood’s hoof, almost losing balance trying to stop it from slamming once more. Blueblood covered his eyes with his free foreleg, the bells outside finally beginning to die down. He trembled, crumbling apart like sand.

“I’m awful.” Blueblood whimpered. “Truly, truly awful.”

“Blue, your father was never good at being a father.” Shining Armor grabbed Blueblood’s leg and pulled it free from his eyes. “He didn’t know how to raise a kid right, he never had any clue what he was doing and was too proud to ask anypony for help. He pushed too much on you because he was more worried about making sure you turned out right than connecting with you.”

It was sudden, but Shining Armor had wrapped Blueblood in his forelegs. Blueblood could feel his eyes widen, and then begin to dampen Shining’s black suit with his tears. He didn’t pull Shining Closer. He just couldn’t bring himself to lift his legs.

No… No he couldn’t feel like this right now. He wasn’t able to stand Shining Armor holding him, not at a time like this. His chest ached and felt warm at the same time, his heart pounded but also froze, too many emotions spinning around inside him. He bit his cheek, pushing Shining Armor off of him.

He didn’t bother looking into Shining Armor’s eyes, unable to face whatever look he must be getting right now.

“Please leave me alone,” Blueblood whispered. “Both of you, I want to be alone.”

“Blueblood…” Cadence mumbled under her breath, taking a step forward.

“I don’t…” Blueblood tried to finish whatever sentence he started, but he couldn’t bring himself to continue. He simply shook his head. Cadence trotted forward slowly, grabbing Shining Armor by the hoof and pulling him away from Blueblood. He still couldn’t look his friends in the eye when he stood, staring out the window once more. “Thank you.”

“Blue...” Shining Armor tried to step forward, but Cadence held him back. His words whipped at Blueblood, causing him to flinch. “We’ll be here… whenever you’re ready, we’ll be here.”

The prince took a step away from his friends. He paused only briefly. He desired to say something, anything really, but his mouth just wouldn’t open up at his command. He felt a stab of pain shoot through his heart, Shining fidgeting in place while Cadence tried to calm him down. He put his head down, unable to sort of his thoughts for the moment. He stared at his hooves, still in pain from his outburst.

Blueblood thought briefly of Shining Armor’s warm, comforting embrace. Even that didn’t cool the fire raging in his body. He simply couldn’t face them. Not right now.

Prince Blueblood stared out the window when he ran a towel through his mane. The light from outside was growing dim underneath the pouring rain that blackened the sky all too quickly. He spotted a flash of lightning, one close enough to make him flinch. It was soon followed by a roar of thunder and Fancy Pants’ laughter.

“Will you shut up?” Blueblood snapped back at the stallion still half in the bathroom with the door wide open. He was currently adjusting his monocle, a towel still around his neck.

“I can’t help it if you look simply adorable when you jump,” Fancy teased. Blueblood looked away, determined not to show his blush. It was all in vain when Fancy Pants came trotting over to him, pressing those lips down to his warm cheek. He lifted up his hoof, a roll of bandages held up before Blueblood’s eyes. “Let’s get you fixed up. Those scars are an awful look for your.”

“I-I can do it myself.” Blueblood tried to snatch the roll from Fancy’s hoof. His hoof only hit air when Fancy pulled it away from his grasp.

“Sweetheart, I’ve stabbed myself an embarrassing amount of times at three in the morning trying to cut some stubborn fabric,” Fancy Pants’s hoof grabbed at Blueblood’s foreleg with a gentle touch. “Let me say it wasn’t for nothing.”

“Fine,” Blueblood begrudgingly let Fancy take his arm and begin to wrap the bandage around his arm. He tried to frown when Fancy kissed a bandaged area, but it somehow flipped itself into a smile. “Honestly, all the places I let you kiss me today and you kiss the one area with a scar.”

“Why only love where you present yourself best?” Fancy Pants asked when he pulled his lips away, continuing to tighten the bandages. “Scared of a little lightening, Sweetheart?”

“I’m scared of it hitting the castle.” Blueblood rolled his eyes. He used his hoof to push Fancy Pant’s face away from his own. Luckily it was at this time that Fancy had torn the bandage and tied it neatly around Blueblood’s leg. “It’s more common than you think, as tall as we are. Princess Luna’s tower has a giant rod sticking out of it that’s just begging to be hit.”

“Giant rods begging to be hit.” Fancy Pants gave a grin that made Blueblood instantly regret his word choice. He grabbed Blueblood’s hoof and pulled him closer, giggling with a sense of excitement. “I don’t need to go far to find one of those.”

“Calm down, Bear,” Blueblood grumbled, Fancy’s eyes staring at his body. The older stallion’s grin became sly.

“Bear?” Fancy Pants questioned. “Where’d that come from?”

“Y-You always call me Sweetheart…” Blueblood felt Fancy Pants pull him closer. “I like it. It makes me feel happy and safe and… You’re strong like a bear, and when you hold me I feel like… Y-Yeah... Also quite rowdy and pushy like one..."

“I didn’t say a word.” Fancy Pants shook his head with a big smile on his face. He kissed Blueblood, something that was very hard to grow old of. “Though I thought dirty old man was just fine. I don’t like to see myself as particularly grizzly. Should I be offended? I feel a bit offended. Couldn’t I be a tiger or something? That sounds nice and sexy.”

“You want to be Old Tiger, Old Timer?” Blueblood’s grin became near devilish at Fancy’s blush. “Maybe you really are nothing more than a dirty old man,” Blueblood smiled back, jabbing his hoof at Fancy Pants’ chest. “Be careful, I could always call you Marshmallow or something.”

“That’s a jab at my weight, isn’t it?” Fancy Pants tried his best to look offended, though his eyes gave away something that could be described as childish delight.

“No, you’re just as thick as one.” Blueblood rolled his eyes once more. “Besides, if I wanted to call you fat I’d just call you Tubby, Tubby.”

“On second thought, Bear is fine.” Fancy Pants pulled away from Blueblood, that grin still on his face that just wouldn’t seem to go away. He grasped Blueblood’s hoof in his own. “Though I honestly don't think I need a pet name if you force it, Sweetheart. It comes to you naturally, you know?"

"Yeah, yeah," Blueblood giggled.

"So tell me," Fancy Pants added. "What's on your mind, truly?"

“Oh just… Shining and Cadence…” Blueblood looked down to his hooves when he thought of those two. He could feel Fancy’s hoof rest on his shoulder. A smile of comfort was thrown his way. “I, uh… I’ve been thinking a lot about them. Today has been… exhausting and thrilling and I can hardly keep my eyes open.”

“When you’re ready, you can go see them,” Fancy Pants said. He closed his eyes briefly to smile, though when he opened them it was like he could look into Blueblood’s own heart. .

Blueblood looked out the window. The colors became muddled the more rain splattered up against the glass. “I always hated rain.”

“It usually ruins outfits when attending parties, yes.” Fancy Pants ran his hoof over his mustache. “But if it gives me an excuse to spend all my time locked up with a dashing prince, I’ll take rain any day. I don’t believe many fairy tales involving rescuing a prince from his castle end up with the two locking themselves up together, though.”

“This isn’t a fairy tale, though,” Blueblood chuckled.

“It might as well be a fairy tale. My boyfriend is a prince.” Fancy Pants wiggled his eyebrows at the other, though his lips faded to a frown when he saw Blueblood’s face look confused.

“Boy… A-Alright…” Blueblood put a hoof over his chest. It was sudden, but he began to feel his eyes water. He wasn’t sure if it was panic or happiness settling into him.

“I apologize. Was that a bit too forward of me?” Fancy Pants’ laugh felt forced when he scratched behind his ears. “I thought it might be less awkward to just say it.”

“No… no it was… Do you really want to be my boyfriend?” Blueblood said in a voice that was quieter than he knew he could produce. Fancy Pants quickly kissed his ear, Blueblood thanking Celestia a hundred and five times that he didn’t laugh when his throat let out a squeak.

“You’re the one getting the short end of the stick here,” Fancy Pants giggled, his breath hot in Blueblood’s ear. “You can’t exactly brag your boyfriend is an old dress maker like I can about mine being a prince.”

“That’s fine… I’ll brag about you anyway.” Blueblood nodded his head firmly.

“That’s not exactly what I meant, but thank you, Sweetheart.” Fancy Pants shrugged his shoulders. His moustache was beginning to tickle.

Blueblood took in a deep breath of air. He closed his eyes, letting his mind go blank until the count of five. “I think I’m ready to see Shining and Cadence.”

“Are you positive?” Fancy Pants asked, concern bleeding through. “Do you want me to go with you?”

Blueblood shook his head. “No, this is something I need to do by myself. I can’t just stay locked up in here forever using you as an excuse to hide… I know they’ll be ready for me, too. They have been for a long time. And even if things go bad, you’ll still be here, right, Big Bear?”

“That’s the name that you’re going with, huh?” Fancy Pants shook his head when he pulled his face away, though a smile still lingered. “Of course I will be, Blueblood.”

Prince Blueblood wrapped his forelegs around Fancy Pants’ neck, embracing him tightly for just a moment. It cleared all worries from his head nearly instantly, the world feeling very quiet for that short time.

“I’ll be back soon.” Blueblood said, his voice firm and confident. “Thank you, Fancy Pants.”

Sapling

Fancy Pants lifted a strip of red fabric to his eyes. He held it out by the length of his forelegs, trying to decide if it was an eye-sore or an eye-catcher. He lifted his eyes up to the ponnequin beside him. It was dressed in a half-finished strikingly, red suit with golden cuffs and collar. There was a darker crimson chest area that poofed out from right above the final button. The vest was a dark shade of red as well, simply reminding Fancy Pants of a rose.

“I must say, this is certainly better than what you’ve put out in months,” Hoity Toity’s voice came from behind him. The grey stallion stepped forward to look up and down the crimson suit. “It’s eye catching to say the least.”

Fancy Pants watched Hoity set down a teapot with three cups on a small table, filling the two up and taking a sip from his own.

“Do you think it’s missing something?” Fancy Pants snapped open his pocket watch with a flick of his hoof. He tried his best not to bite into his cheek while the hands crept past six thirty.

“Wasn’t I the one who used to ask you things like that?” Hoity Toity chuckled with a shake of his head. Fancy stared long and hard at the dress, unwilling to blink, as if it might fall apart if he broke eye contact. “The color is unusual for a suit, which is good. You’re trying to make a statement here. The golden linings would usually be a bit much, but they work nicely here with the brightness of the whole thing. Exactly how long did it take you to create this?”

“About three days.” Fancy Pants sat on his bed, still staring at his creation. Hoity handed him a cup of tea, which he forced himself to drink with his eyes shut. “I came home that morning and… I just started working.”

Fancy looked to his watch again. He set down his tea and began to scratch at his cheek. He wasn’t expecting his chest to pound, but his mind was spinning so much he had to force himself to breathe.

“Your little boyfriend coming soon?” Hoity asked. He seated himself down right next to Fancy Pants and stared at the watch. Fancy Pants snapped it shut and held it to his chest. “Honestly did you have to invite everypony you knew? I’m surprised you didn’t invite Fleur to watch you make it.”

Fancy shook his head. He set the watch on the bed and ran his hoof up and down his bare leg. “No, I needed somepony’s professional opinion before I showed Blueblood.”

“Professional?” It was surprising to hear Hoity Toity snort at him, but his friend laughed just the same. “I think that’s the first time you’ve ever used that word to describe me.”

“We both work in the same business, and I value your opinion, Hoity.” Fancy Pants smiled at his friend, who had stopped laughing but had to keep a hoof over his mouth to do so. Hotiy adjusted his glasses, trying to regain some of his composure. “I need Blueblood to like it.”

“And I’m sure he will,” Hoity insisted. He put his hoof on Fancy Pant’s own for a brief moment. “Honestly you worry too much. You’ve designed suits and dresses fit for royalty before.”

Fancy Pants frowned at his friend. He pulled his hoof away and rubbed at it. “Blueblood’s opinion is just… important to me.”

“Yes, yes, we get it, you care about your boyfriend’s opinion.” Hoity swished his hoof through the air in what could be called vague enthusiasm.

“He’s running a bit late,” Fancy Pants mumbled, staring at his watch that was now reading six-thirty five. He shut it up again and tried to put it out of his sight by setting it directly behind him.

“Just don’t go for the wine this time.” Hoity sipped at his tea. “I don’t feel like having to baby you again just to get you in bed.”

“Let’s not bring that up,” Fancy Pants mumbled under his breath. He scratched at his cheek which he knew was glowing pink. “I’m hoping Blueblood forgets that in due time.”

“You’re worse around him now than you were without him ten years ago” Hoity Toity shook his head. He drank the last of his tea before he refilled the cup, swishing around the liquid. “You never did tell me where you went off to with Shining Armor? Am I just supposed to fill in my own blanks and spread rumors worse than the press?”

“What could you honestly spread that I haven’t heard already?” Fancy Pants laughed.

“That you vanished with a married prince to see another prince all alone in the castle.” Hoity jabbed his hoof at Fancy’s foreleg. “A gossiping pony like myself is sure to draw some conclusions from that alone. You have a lot of princes’ attention lately.

“Yes, you caught me.” Fancy Pants rolled his eyes. He put a hoof over his chest while he drank his tea and put on his best dramatic voice. “I slept with the both of them. Some royal guards came in and then joined in, too.”

“I can’t say I’m too surprised. I’m only offended you didn’t invite me.”

It was difficult to not crack up at Hoity’s reaction, so Fancy Pants didn’t bother trying. Hoity looked like he was about to open his mouth once more to ask further questions when the sound of a knock on the door caused both their ears to prick up. Fancy smiled despite his rapidly beating heart and got to his hooves.

Fancy Pants’ hoofsteps seemed to coincide with his heartbeat. With a light head, he put his warm hoof on the cold doorknob and pulled it open. It was hard to admit that his heart did indeed skip a beat at the sight of Prince Blueblood, but it did. Blueblood smiled at him, and almost all worry left Fancy’s mind for that one moment.

“Good evening, Sweetheart.” Fancy Pants stepped aside to let Blueblood in, but instead the prince stepped directly forward. He squirmed in place a moment, eyes darting away for half a second before meeting Fancy’s again and he craned his neck. Their lips met, Blueblood’s still soft as ever. Though the kiss was brief, Fancy let his arms lift and fall onto Blueblood’s sides and gave him a squeeze.

“Hey, Big Bear.” Blueblood’s cheeks were a pale pink, but he was giggling all the same. He buried his face somewhere in Fancy’s neck to hide his blush, but Fancy merely kissed the tip of his right ear. “I missed you. Didn’t have much time to get ready?”

Fancy Pants looked down at his own bare body, a smirk coming to his face. “Well, I didn’t think I’d need to doll myself up just to get you to my bed. Was I wrong?” His hoof touched Blueblood’s chin and held it in place. Blueblood tried to look away, but was only given a kiss on the end of his nose. “My my, are you going to blush like this every time you kiss me?” Fancy Pants knew Blueblood wanted to jab his hoof at him by the tightening in his muscles, which is why he only tightened his hug. “You know I’m beginning to like that name, after all. I know I don’t exactly have as big a bear as you do, but I can still live up to that name tonig-”

“I’m beginning to think your little tall tale wasn’t so tall.” Hoity Toity’s voice was close by. It made Blueblood jump back halfway out the door and look around desperately until his eyes fell onto Hoity. “I believe what I’m supposed to say here is ‘get a room’?”

“H-Hoity Toity,” Blueblood stuttered. He seemed to swallow hard, eyes darting between Fancy and Hoity. He fidgeted in place again, this time with a frown on his face instead of a smile. “Y-You’re here.”

“Why yes, I am,” Hoity said when ran a hoof over his mane. “I know it’s hard to take your eyes off of your hunky old-timer, but I like to think I make the room glow sometimes.”

“Well, I suppose you seeing us kiss is better than the press.” Fancy Pants rolled his eyes and slapped the back of his hoof at Hoity’s chest. Hoity laughed, and Blueblood’s eyes still stared at the porch under his hooves. Fancy stepped forward and grabbed Blueblood’s hoof. He kissed the prince’s cheek, and that at least seemed to force a smile.

“Lucky for you two love birds I was just leaving.” Hoity Toity straightened out the collar of his dress shirt. “Well I wasn’t, actually. I just don’t like seeing Fancy Pants in his honeymoon stage, where he’s a bit too grabby with a little less shame. Although… You are taking him out to dinner, right?”

“Excuse me?” Fancy Pants raised his brow at Hoity.

“Fancy, if you cook for a prince you will either poison him or he’ll dump you out of trauma.” Hoity Toity shook his head. He pressed a hoof to his temple and began to rub it in circles. “Actually scratch that. I’ve had your cooking, and I’m still considering dumping you.”

“I can… cook…” Blueblood spoke up for the first time. The two’s attention turned to him and he seemed to try his best not to look away. “I mean, my father wanted me to try everything to find my cutie mark, and I spent a lot of time in the kitchens, so I know how to make basic dinners.”

“Apparently you’re a good match after all. Looks like I’m out guilt-free.” Hoity patted his hoof down on Fancy’s shoulder. He took a step out the door and looked into Blueblood’s eyes.

“What is it?” Blueblood tilted his head the longer Hoity stared at him.

“Since you’re dating my best friend, we should get together sometime.” Hoity Toity smiled at him. Fancy raised his eyes, surprised he didn’t make any kind of follow up joke. “Besides, I’d like to hear what Fancy does around ponies he really trusts.”

“A-Alright,” Blueblood smiled politely, but the longer Fancy looked at it the more he realized it wasn’t entirely forced. “That sounds fun.”

“Sweetheart, can you head into the kitchen,” Fancy Pants asked, grabbing onto Blueblood’s hoof and giving him a minor tug. “Please don’t look in my room. I have a surprise for you in there.”

Blueblood nodded his head, and then nodded it again at Hoity before he walked past Fancy Pants and into the house. Fancy Pants smiled, his heart pounding for a different reason.

“Sweetheart?” Hoity Toity questioned. There was a smirk on his face when he lowered his sunglasses to look at Fancy Pants in the eye. “That’s a little bit cliche, even for a sap like you.”

“He likes it.” Fancy Pants shrugged his shoulders. “He always smiles when I call him that, at least.”

“Well, anyway...” Hoity Toity reached into his coat pocket before he pulled out a small box of cigarettes. “You dropped these in the carriage, and I forgot to give them back to you, Big Bear.”

Fancy tried not to show that that name bothered him, but he knew already that his face was warm. He stared at the box for a moment, beginning to lift a hoof before he settled it back down on the ground. He shook his head at Hoity.

“Pitch them. I don’t think I need them.” Fancy Pants chuckled. Hoity simply rolled his eyes and stuffed them back into his pocket. Hoity Toity began to walk away after he gave a wave.

“See you next week, Old Timer!” Hoity called, Fancy Pants smiling back at him. He could feel his smile falter for just a moment at that name, but he tried not to let it bother him.

Fancy Pants went back into his house and shut the door behind him. The floor was creaking when he walked up to the kitchen. When his head popped around the corner, Blueblood was looking through cabinets and drawers, perhaps searching for whatever the two were going to eat that night.

“How in Equestria do you not have hay or lettuce?” Blueblood looked at his lover with mild irritation in his eyes. “Honestly I’m beginning to see why you’re so tubby if you live off of eating at restaurants and oats.”

“You know, calling me ‘tubby’ isn’t much of an insult when you’ve been grabbing at me and saying you like it like you just a few days ago” Fancy Pants laughed and trotted into the kitchen. He could see Blueblood try to hide his face behind a cabinet door at those words. “You’re a lot less shy when you complain, you know that?”

“Oh can it.” Blueblood rolled his eyes, but it was obvious he was suppressing a smile by the way his lips tightened.

Fancy found himself squirming in place a bit the longer Blueblood looked through the cupboards. “Did you have fun with Shining and Cadence?”

The prince paused at that, staring up at the ceiling. He took a few moments of thought before nodding his head, shooting Fancy Pants a gentle smile. “It was a little weird for a bit… I’m not sure if things will ever be normal, but it got better the longer we were together. Cadence asked about you some… I got too embarrassed to talk about it.”

“Oh, truly?” Fancy Pants wiggled his eyebrows.

“S-Shining fell in a river,” Blueblood stammered out. He looked away from Fancy and continued to stammer as he rifled through the cupboards. “He tried to lead me and kept looking at me making sure I was doing fine and… when he fell, I couldn’t stop laughing. He glared at me for the next ten minutes.”

“It sounds like you had fun, then,” Fancy Pants said, grinning at him.

Blueblood nodded his head. He flicked his tail and closed the cupboard before he let out a sigh. Fancy Pants’ body leaned up against his own. A muzzle was buried into his mane, which was soon ruffled about.

Fancy Pants kissed his ear again. Blueblood giggled and nuzzled up against Fancy’s neck. “I hope my letter wasn’t too sudden.”

“No I… missed you,” Blueblood shook his head. He was smiling, but it soon faltered when his eyes looked at Fancy’s own. “Shut up.”

“C’mon, I have something to show you.” Fancy Pants tried to keep his tone under what could be considered giddy, but he failed in the end. Blueblood smiled as he was pulled along by his hoof out of the kitchen. Fancy paused right outside his bedroom door and took a deep breath, pulling Blueblood into the room.

Blueblood’s eyes looked to the ponnequin. Fancy Pants released him and took a few steps back. The older unicorn covered his face with his hooves and watched Blueblood’s reactions. The prince’s eyes widened and looked at the suit. He lifted his hoof hesitantly, letting Fancy nod his head before he touched the fabric.

“You didn’t tell me you made something.” Blueblood’s voice was quiet. He looked to Fancy Pants, a smile on his face. “Fancy, that’s… that’s great!”

“So do you like it?” Fancy Pants asked. His voice sounded as if it were at the end of his breath. He kept his smile contained, not wanting to become excited too fast.

“It’s… It’s beautiful, but I don’t know much about fashion,” Blueblood chuckled and scratched at his mane. He touched at the holden trimmings and let his hoof move over the crimson vest. “It’s bright… I think it’d make a stallion look really handsome if that’s what you’re asking.”

Fancy Pants took a step forward. He had something planned to say, but for the sake of Celestia he couldn’t remember a single word of it. He was smiling, barely containing a great desire to squirm. He took Blueblood’s hoof and placed it on his chest, right over his beating heart. He held it there with two hooves.

“I want you to wear it.” Fancy stated in as firm and mature of a tone as he could muster.

“W-Wear it?” Blueblood looked from the suit to Fancy Pants. “You mean to see if it fits?”

“Well yes and no,” Fancy Pants chuckled. He squeezed Blueblood’s hoof. “When I came home I was just… so happy. I thought about you when I made this, I thought about you wearing it and looking stunning and breath taking and…” Fancy was babbling.

“Wear it where?” Blueblood’s smile was now a frown. He was shifting in place every few moments and staring down at his own body.

“Next week is… my birthday.” Fancy Pants’ smile faltered for just a moment. “I wanted you to come so we didn’t have to face any kind of press scandal when they eventually catch us together. I booked a time and place near the castle, right near the gardens.”

“You mean like your date?” Blueblood asked. Fancy Pants couldn’t decipher if his tone was nervous or excited. Blueblood’s face didn’t betray emotion either, for he kept staring at the outfit. “I’ve never… been on a real date before.”

“What do you call this then?” Fancy Pants let Blueblood’s hoof fall to the ground. Blueblood didn’t appear to have an answer for that, so he simply shrugged his shoulders.

“F-Fancy… nopony wears red like that.” Blueblood put his newly freed hoof over his chest. “It’s so bright and eye-catching. Everypony will be staring and... T-The media doesn’t even know I like stallions.”

There was a moment of silence between the two, one where Blueblood kept staring at the floor. He kicked gently at the hardwood and swallowed hard. Fancy Pants didn’t realize he was holding his breath until Blueblood closed his eyes.

“Sweetheart, I’m not going to push yo-”

“When I go in… will you find me right away?” Blueblood asked. He looked up into Fancy Pants’ eyes and took in a deep breath. “If ponies talk and stare, you’ll be right next to me, right? A-And when the media finds out about us, c-can we just laugh about it and not make a big deal over it?”

“I would never abandon you like that, Blueblood.” Fancy Pants nodded his head. Blueblood’s lips trembled, but they soon formed a smile. “I want you to be my beautiful, handsome rose.”

“I’ll do it.” Blueblood looked to Fancy Pants. His eyes made Fancy’s heart sink, but the words kept a smile on his face. “I… I want to make you happy.”

“Really?” Fancy’s voice buzzed with the energy that struck him. He grabbed Blueblood’s shoulders and grasped tightly. Blueblood nodded his head, and without warning, Fancy hugged him tightly. Their lips met in a rough kiss, one which Fancy parted from quickly before he crashed his body into Blueblood. He picked the unicorn up with all his strength for as long as he could, long enough to twirl with Blueblood in his forelegs for the few seconds he could manage. The two crashed on the bed, Fancy still in Blueblood’s forelegs.

“F-Fancy!” Blueblood shouted, soon falling on top of Fancy on the bed only to have lips press into his neck. They sat up, Blueblood on Fancy’s lap. Fancy was writhing excitedly, heart pounding and body full of energy. “You’re like a little kid…”

“I love you,” Fancy Pants whispered, nuzzling his face against Blueblood’s dress shirt. He was about to unbutton the top button on Blueblood’s shirt when he felt the muscles of the other tense up. He looked up at Blueblood and chuckled. “Sorry, I let it slip again, didn’t I?”

Blueblood slid off of his lap and sat down next to Fancy Pants. Blueblood clenched at his dress shirt and nodded his head. There was a time where he gripped at Fancy’s arm, constantly opening his mouth but unable to force out any words. His cheeks were pink, mixes of frustration and embarrassment showing on his face. His hooves gripped at the sheets, and he began to bite into his lip.

“I’m sorry,” Blueblood mumbled. His eyes looked like they might start watering, but he was holding his breath.

“Sweetheart, you’ve given me more than enough today.” Fancy Pants let his hoof rest on Blueblood’s chin and lifted it until he looked in Blueblood’s eyes. “I won’t rush you on that of all things. I’ve had a dozen lovers who said it but don’t treat me as well as you do.”

Blueblood sniffled, and Fancy kissed right under his eye. He heard a giggle, even if it did sound choked up. He could feel Blueblood nod his head, and his lips showed a smile, even if it was small.

“I care about you,” Blueblood seemed to almost spit out. “I really… really care about you. More than I’ve cared about anypony in a long time.”

Fancy Pants closed his eyes and let their lips meet. Blue was still tense, but he softened up quickly and wrapped his legs around Fancy’s body.

“Thank you, Sweetheart.”

Fancy’s hooves moved up to Blueblood’s dress shirt, snapping the first one open along with the second to let his hoof run over Blueblood’s fluffy chest. He blushed, the sight of all that soft fur making his heart pound.

“Let’s get this off of you.” Fancy Pants grinned.

“Y-You mean to try on the outfit?” Blueblood asked as Fancy opened two more buttons and kissed his chest.

“Oh!” Fancy pulled away for just a moment. “You’re right, we probably do need to do that, too.”

Fancy felt a pinch on his belly, but he couldn’t help but smile and put his face back to Blueblood’s chest. He nuzzled it gently, taking in the smell of roses and flowers that he had grown to love. He ran his hoof up Blueblood’s chest to make the fur stick out more.

“W-What about dinner?” Blueblood asked, his voice sounding stranger the more Fancy touched him. “W-We still need to go shopping.”

“I can name twenty things I’d love to nibble on no more than three feet away.” Fancy gave Blueblood’s chest a very brief lick, but it was still enough to not only be pinched, but also smacked against his ear. He flinched, but he still laughed anyway. Blueblood giggled too, even if he had to see Fancy’s flushed face to do so.

“Stupid Dirty Bear,” Blueblood mumbled. He looked to the dress once more, and then down to his body. He frowned, a bit unsure of himself. “Do you think… it’ll look good on me, Fancy?”

Fancy Pants smiled at his lover when he popped off the last button of Blueblood’s shirt. Their eyes met for just a moment, and Blueblood’s eyes seemed to almost glimmer when he looked into them. He placed his hoof on the side of Blueblood’s face, and nodded his head.

“You’ll be my rose. And you’ll be breathtaking.”

Bloom

The curtains close
On a kiss, God knows

Prince Blueblood stared ahead and looked into a pair of cyan blue eyes that sat no more than five feet before him. The figure before him matched his movements. From the tilting of his head to the straightening of his red bow-tie, the figure copied him and, in time, looked away just as he had. His heart pounded in his chest like a drum, and his eyes began to lose focus when he realized he had been holding his breath in. He felt so bright.

Blueblood reached up his hoof and touched his face. The mirror before him copied, and he could see his own eyes dart away the longer he stared at himself. He stared hard at the checkerboard floor while he adjusted his collar. A lump was trapped in his throat that wouldn't go down no matter how many times he swallowed.

“Are you positive you don’t want me or Cadence to come?”

“I’m sure,” Blueblood replied to the voice.

Shining Armor took a step forward, and Blueblood glanced back to the mirror. He could see Shining lift his hoof before it settled on his shoulder. He was looking at Blueblood’s face, not his outfit. Blueblood shut his eyes and forced himself to turn away from his reflection. When he opened his eyes, Shining Armor was staring back at him with a smile.

Shining opened his mouth yet again. “I won’t get in the way of anything. I won’t even talk to you if you don’t want to, but I…”

Blueblood shook his head, and that smile soon faded. Blueblood’s belly turned inside of him when he took several paces forward and let Shining’s hoof slip off of his shoulder. He could already feel eyes staring at him every time he caught a glimpse of his own red outfit. He looked to the window and to the twilight sky that blanketed Equestria. His mouth suddenly felt dry.

“Blue, c’mon.” Shining Armor walked up to Blueblood to stare him in the eye. “If you’re this nervous I really don’t think Fancy will be upset. You hate being the center of attention and you’re… you’re wearing that.”

“Is something wrong with it?” Blueblood looked to Shining Armor with wide eyes. It felt like ice had pierced his heart, for he felt cold. He clamped his hoof over his chest and tightened a hold onto the golden buttons.

“No, it looks great,” Shining Armor sighed. His eyes glanced down to the checkerboard floor that he kicked at gently with his foreleg. Blueblood swallowed hard when Shining touched the golden edges. “I’m not used to seeing you in red. It looks great on you.”

“I didn’t have many options aside from blue and white,” Blueblood chuckled, though a smile did not reach his lips. He looked into the mirror again and tried to straighten his pose. “I would never have been allowed to wear something like this when I was younger… It’s going to turn a lot of heads. That’s something I’m positive of.”

Blueblood tried to grasp at both his hooves to fiddle with them. He clamped them over each other and took in a breath, then put both hooves over his face and pulled down so he could see. A whinny escaped his lips, and he couldn’t help but feel as though Shining’s eyes were daggers.

“Blue, you hate parties.” It was a statement, not a question. “You’re nervous and… that outfit’s going to make everypony look at you. I know you hate that. I know things are still weird between us, but I don’t want you to feel like you used too.”

“Shining…” Blueblood took in a long breath. He looked at Shining Armor in the eyes and let a faint smile hit his lips. “This is my first real date with Fancy. Honestly I’d be nervous if we were going to a restaurant.”

Blueblood tried to laugh, but it came out as more of a whimper. He clamped his teeth down on his tongue and looked away from his friend. He put a hoof over his beating heart. His smile turned into a small frown when he could yet again feel Shining Armor’s eyes dig into his skin. It was beginning to feel like a bad sunburn.

“I’m just… worried what ponies will say when they see me with him,” Blueblood mumbled under his breath. He continued to bite down on his tongue between pauses. “I mean, he’s popular and famous and I’m just… Ponies don’t know I like stallions. They all see me as a spoiled, whiny prince.”

“Canterlot is one of the more open places for things like that, though,” Shining Armor reminded Blueblood. The captain trotted forward and tried his best to look encouraging. “Fancy’s already had boyfriends and girlfriends in the past. Besides, you were never exactly known for being with mares.”

“Right, I was just known for being loud and spoiled and obnoxious.” Blueblood lifted a hoof to his lips and bit on it. He stared at the window once more and counted the seconds. “It will be enough of a shock seeing it in the headlines tomorrow morning… If I act like I used to, I’m sure they’ll just use it to fill out space in the article.”

“Blu-”

“A-And if I trip or say something wrong, then everypony will remember it.” Blueblood could feel his legs turn to jelly underneath him. He put his hoof on his forehead and felt how warm he was. “Fancy’s probably going to want to dance, and I don’t know if he wants to lead or if I should and I don’t know what to do if he wants to!”

“Blueblood.” Shining Armor’s voice was clear. Blueblood’s eyes darted to Shining’s own, and only then did Blueblood realize he was forgetting how to breathe. “Fancy will be there with you.”

Blueblood wiped at his eyes, realizing they were beginning to water. He swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded his head slowly. He looked at his clothing and thought about Fancy’s face when he had first worn it before him. His chest loosened just a bit when he thought about Fancy’s gaze.

“Fancy promised me we would just laugh about anything bad,” Blueblood said, sniffling. His foreleg was trembling when he wiped at his eye. “He’s probably going to laugh at me when I show him his gift, though. I should have gotten him something more expensive,” Blueblood mumbled as he touched the lump in his coat pocket.

“Fancy’s probably one of those mushy guys,” Shining chuckled in an attempt to cheer up his friend. When he placed both his hooves on either of Blueblood’s shoulders, the stallion managed to smile back. “I think he has enough diamond necklaces and jeweled cuffs.”

“I just hope I don’t embarrass him. I want to be the pony he thinks I can be.” Blueblood nodded his head, though the lump in his pocket began to feel like it weighed a dozen pounds. He kept patting it and running his hoof over it while he chewed on his lip. Shining Armor looked to him and then down to his hooves, beginning to kick his hoof against the floor.

“Things aren’t that weird between us, are they?” Shining questioned his friend. He looked to Blueblood’s hooves with a small frown. “I mean, you feel better than you did for a long time with me, right?”

“Y-Yeah.” Blueblood couldn’t help but look puzzled at Shining’s words. “Why do you ask all of a sudden?”

“I was just… I could show you how to dance if Fancy wants to lead it.” Shining seemed to bite into his cheek, for his jaw was moving around. “I know things were really weird between us, and I don’t want to make you feel like you were before…”

Shining Armor had begun to scratch behind his head. A groan came from his throat when he ruffled his mane. It was clear he was embarrassed, though his cheeks did not turn pink. “I shouldn’t have said that. Sorry.”

“No, it’s fine.” Blueblood nodded his head at Shining. “Would you show me? Really?”

“I mean…” Shining Armor trailed off and looked away from his friend. “You wouldn’t feel awkward, would you? I’m glad you’re talking to me and being yourself again, and I don’t want to upset you. I danced with Cadence at our wedding, and I could show you how it was then.”

“I hardly think dancing with you is going to make me any more upset than having a dozen ponies staring at me at all times will.” Blueblood smiled, but it soon faded when that thought hit his mind. “I just don’t want to give them all a reason to stare at me and mock me as well.”

Shining Armor took a moment to breathe in before he nodded his head. He extended his hoof to Blueblood and held it out at a foreleg’s length. “Look, alright just give me your hoof?”

Blueblood took Shining’s hoof. The captain gave himself a moment before he looked into Blueblood’s eyes. He took several seconds to clear his throat and adjust himself. It was at least long enough for Blueblood to tap his free hoof on the ground with impatience.

“Look, when I lead I’m gonna pull you along an-” Shining shook his head. “Wait, no, first you need to have your hooves a bit back”

“Uh, Shining?” Blueblood narrowed his eyes and stared into Shining’s own. “Your hooves aren’t exactly in the right spot, you know.”

“Sure they are!” Shining Armor looked down at his hooves. A look of uncertainty suddenly crossed over his face before he shook his head. His blue mane swished back and forth. “Look, your hooves need to be more forward and…”

“No they don’t,” Blueblood stated. The two locked eyes for just a moment, Shining’s own cheeks finally starting to look pink. Blueblood raised his brow and Shining soon shook his head.

“Yes the-”

“Shining, my father made me dance ever day for a month until I perfected it. I know how to stand.” Blueblood’s voice was stone.

“Look, just follow me like this an- C-Crap!” Shining pulled Blueblood far too roughly and suddenly in a short turn before pushing him a bit rougher than the prince expected. Blueblood struggled not to be toppled over, but only received a kick to his shin.

“Ow!” Blueblood yelped. He growled, backed away from Shining, and grabbed at his leg. Shining lifted a hoof as if he were about to apologize, but Blueblood felt his chest flare before he kicked his own hoof back at Shining’s leg.

Shining Armor didn’t yelp, but he did hiss and nearly crumbled to the floor. It must have stung, for he began rubbing it in circles without breathing in.

“What’s going on in here?”

Blueblood looked to the doorway that he had been ignoring to see that it had been opened. Princess Cadence walked into the room with a puzzled look on her face when she saw the two stallions both grasping at their legs.

“Oh, Blueblood, you look lovely!” Cadence smiled at Blueblood’s outfit. The prince tried his best to not blush, attempting to hold onto his frustration when he pointed to Shining Armor. “But what happened?”

“Your husband has four left hooves, that’s what!” Blueblood snapped. He grumbled some words under his breath, positive Cadence would frown at them if she heard.

“You didn’t have to kick me back so hard, Blue!” Shining’s voice tried to snap, but it sounded closer to a whine. Cadence walked up closer to the two when Shining was trying to stand up straight once more. He kicked out his leg and shook it for a few seconds before setting it down.

“Cadence, honestly, you have to agree with me here.” Blueblood continued to rub at his leg. “Shining has never danced properly in his life.”

“Well…” Cadence’s frown seemed to struggle not to flip around into a smile when she looked to Shining Armor. “Dear, you aren’t the most coordinated dancer. You’re a great royal guard but not very elegant.”

“Cady!” Shining seemed like he wanted to say more, but he shut his mouth quickly when his cheeks flushed an even deeper pink than before.

“It’s just that, at the wedding you stepped on my hooves a dozen times.” Cadence’s smile was showing now. “I had bruises the whole honeymoon from it, sweetie.”

Shining didn’t reply, but he did look embarrassed. Cadence craned her neck and kissed him gently on the cheek before Shining allowed himself to smile.

“What were you two even trying to do?” Cadence giggled at Shining Armor when she touched his leg with a gentle hoof.

“I…” Blueblood felt both ponies look to him when he scratched the back of his neck. His heart pounded at having to talk about it again. “Shining offered to show me how to let somepony else lead in a dance. I thought Fancy might want to be the one to lead tonight. I-I didn’t want to embarrass him.”

To both stallion’s surprise, Cadence laughed. It was a gentle laugh, little more than above a giggle, but it was indeed a laugh. Blueblood knew his face was warm when she looked him in the eye.

“I never thought you’d be asking Shining about dating advice,” she giggled. Blueblood managed to grin at that, however faint it was. Blueblood saw the faintest hints of a grin on Shining’s face, and he felt one come to his as well.

“I guess… things are a little better than before, huh?” Blueblood asked.

“Oh, I know!” Cadence spoke up. “I could show you how to dance!”

“Where did you learn how to dance in the lead?” Shining Armor raised his brow at his wife. He had trotted over several feet to the base of his bed before he sat down and brushed his hoof over his long tail.

“I helped Twilight learn to dance when she was little,” Cadence said to Shining Armor, puffing out her chest. “It’s really not that different from dancing in the lead.”

“Will it be the same as dancing with a stallion?” Blueblood asked. His chest tightened at that thought. “You’re a lot taller than he is.”

“You’ll adapt.” Cadence nodded her head with a sense of determination. She grabbed Blueblood’s hoof in her own and pulled the prince close to her. “Your hooves are in the right place. That’s good.”

Blueblood felt Cadence pull him along in a small circle. It was slower than Shining’s attempt, but more complex than a simple slow dance. She hummed a tune while she pulled him along, their hooves clicking on the floor. Blueblood tried to take a step in the opposite direction, and it almost resulted in the loss of his balance.

“You need to let me do most of the leading. Just trust me, and I’ll guide you.” Cadence stared into Blueblood’s cyan eyes. “And don’t worry. Even if you do mess up, Fancy Pants is not the type of pony to be rude and bring attention to it.”

“R-Right,” Shining Armor called out when he got up from his seat. “You shouldn’t worry so much, Blue. Just have fun tonight. Fancy has to be happy if you show up at all looking like you do.”

Cadence guided Blueblood through the rest of the dance, and he only made the same mistake two more times in the three minutes it took. He imagined Fancy Pants guiding him along, and his heart felt light. When they stopped, Cadence pulled away with wide eyes and an excited grin.

Blueblood smiled at Shining Armor and then at Cadence. He nodded his head slowly and adjusted the collar of his suit. He let his chest puff out, and he giggled. He looked at Cadence’s lavender eyes and felt a new sense of determination in his chest.

“Can you show me the steps again?”

The little hand on Fancy Pants’ pocket watch only seemed to tick by with a great amount of effort. He licked his parched lips and watched the seconds fall away with anticipation in his squirming body. His eyes were locked in a gaze that he couldn’t control, and only a large bump in the road of the carriage made him look away.

The sky outside was nearing the end of twilight, and the first sign of shimmering stars above came into view. He slapped both sides of the pocket watch together and kept his hooves clenched like that. Fancy Pants could see the cart cross over a bridge when he looked down into the water of a stream below. The buildings were beginning to grow scarce, and on the horizon he caught sight of Canterlot Castle.

He glanced down at his body. His suit was grey with a red bow-tie, and he began to wonder if it would work well with Blueblood’s suit the way he imagined it would. While he normally wore black, he could only imagine a lighter color working with Blueblood tonight.

Fancy Pants tried to spot Blueblood’s balcony from here, though no adjusting of his monocle helped see past the trees that raced by every few feet. The unicorn eventually looked back into his hooves to stuff the golden pocket watch back into it’s rightful place. When he did so, he could feel his own heartbeat growing stronger and louder the closer he got to the castle.

The cart Fancy Pants was riding in began to slow down just away from the main entrance to the castle. When he looked out the window, he could see the gardens in the distance.

“This the place you wanted?” the cart driver called back to Fancy Pants. The brown earth pony looked like he was struggling not to pant when he pushed his golden mane out of his eyes.

Fancy Pants glanced to the gardens and then back to Blueblood’s castle. He held his hoof over his chest for a brief moment and took in a deep breath.

“Actually, deary, could you go up a bit more to the entrance of the castle?” Fancy Pants asked.

“That’ll cost you an extra bit.” The brown stallion shrugged his shoulders.

“That’s quite alright,” Fancy Pants replied. The cart began moving again, and Fancy Pants felt the warm breeze flow through his mane. The ride was no more than three extra minutes before he came up to the drawbridge of the castle. He opened the door to the cart himself and stared at the moat and all the guards patrolling it. Very few of the guards looked to him while he reached into his pocket to grab a hoof full of bits, though one did approach him.

“Thank you very much, and if you could just come back in thirty minutes I’d much appreciate it,” Fancy Pants said with a polite smile. The earth pony tossed the bits in a bag swinging from the cart before he nodded his head.

“What business do you have here, Fancy Pants?” the royal guard questioned him. Fancy Pants turned around and heard the sound of the cart being drug away and rumbling on the smooth pathway.

“Why hello. I’m actually here to see Prince Blueblood.” Fancy Pants kept his smile polite, though the royal guard’s face remained stiff and solid. He glanced at the castle and back to Fancy Pants.

“That’s actually going to be a bit of a problem, Sir.” The guard’s expression seemed to break for a moment and become a bit apologetic, but when Fancy Pants blinked it was all gone. “You see, it’s getting late, and it’s a rule that nopony gets into the castle this late without any kind of invitation or emergency.”

Fancy Pants’ smile broke. He didn’t even attempt to fix it. He merely glanced at the castle and felt the muscles in his chest tighten. He bit on his cheek and let a whinny past his lips.

“Well, that’s certainly a proble-”

“Wait!”

Fancy Pants raised his head at the sound of a familiar voice. He had to squint and adjust his monocle, but he indeed did see a white stallion with a blue mane jogging down the drawbridge. Shining Armor approached him, his body bare of any armor and a pant in his breath.

“It’s okay Duster,” Shining Armor spoke to the royal guard. “Fancy Pants is an exception.”

The royal guard did little more than nod his head in response before he turned away and returned to his patrol of the area. Fancy Pants gazed back to Shining and saw the smile the captain was putting off.

“Good thing I was out for a walk,” Shining Armor chuckled as he took in a deep breath of air. “Blue didn’t tell me you were coming to pick him up. I would have let the guards know.”

“I actually didn’t plan to pick him up.” Fancy Pants looked down to his hooves and then again at the castle. He let himself smile again. “I just wanted to see him before the party if I’m being honest.”

“Either way, he’ll probably be happy to see you.” Shining Armor nodded his head before he pointed his hoof down the drawbridge and into the castle gardens. “I’ll take you to his room so more guards don’t stop you.”

Fancy Pants nodded his head, a polite smile plastered on his face. Shining Armor turned, and Fancy Pants trotted to walk beside him. The prince looked straight ahead for most of the walk down the bridge, though he looked to the older unicorn every few moments, mostly at his outfit and way way he walked.

“He’s talking about you a lot,” Shining Armor told Fancy Pants. Their hooves stepped onto the grass of the garden and off the wooden bridge.

“Truly?” Fancy Pants chuckled at the thought of that.

“He won’t talk to me and Cadence about whether you two have kissed much or been on many dates. I think he’s embarrassed about it,” Shining Armor laughed. “He asks Cadence a lot of questions, though. Mostly about stuff I wouldn’t know, like how to kiss and if it’s okay to call you names that aren’t the manliest… He’d hit me again if I told you that.”

“Again?” Fancy Pants raised his brow. He frowned at Shining Armor and soon noticed the faded bruise on the stallion’s foreleg.

“Let’s just say Blue likes to hit back when he’s annoyed at you.” Shining Armor’s cheeks tinged in pink when the two entered the light of the castle entrance. The two trotted up towards the stairs and it was then when Shining Armor had to slow down for Fancy Pants. “I’m happy he’s talking to us though, he’s acting a bit like he used too.”

“Believe me, I’ve been pinched quite a few times,” Fancy Pants chuckled. The two rounded the corner of the staircase and made their way up the carpeted floors. “He doesn’t like it when he gets embarrassed.”

“Tell me about it.” Shining Armor rolled his eyes. “I swear he acts like he wants to push me every time I try to ask about you two.”

“You’re acting a bit more chipper than before.” Fancy Pants eyed Shining Armor, only to watch the unicorn scratch behind his ear and force out an awkward laugh.

“Am I?” Shining Armor looked away for just a moment. “Well… honestly Blue’s pretty nervous about tonight.” Shining Armor’s smile began to fade. “I think this is good for him, but I hate seeing him so… twitchy about it.”

“Twitchy?” Fancy Pants could feel a frown appear on his face.

“Yeah, he just… thinks about everything that can go wrong and lets it worry him.” Shining Armor shrugged his shoulders. They rounded another corner and continued up a staircase. “I think this party’s actually going to be good for him though. He acts… happier than before now that he can talk about you. He used to just quiet down and get really annoyed when I tried to talk to him about love and stuff before. I think he’s just happy that he doesn’t have to hide anything.”

Fancy Pants stared at Shining Armor’s nostalgic expression for a while. He looked ahead and realized they were in the hallway that led to Blueblood’s room. Shining sighed loudly and scratched at his ear once more. His hooves had stopped clicking on the marble floors and Fancy Pants had to stop to stare at the captain.

“Something wrong?” Fancy Pants questioned.

“Just… Blueblood cares a lot about you,” Shining Armor said while he tried his best to smile, though it once again didn’t meet his eyes. “I see how happy you make him, and I know that he’s only doing all of this for you tonight… He won’t let me come, and I’m just scared he’ll go back to how he used to be and be afraid.”

Shining Armor bit into his cheek. “Will… Will you just look after him, since I can’t? Don’t tease him or anything if he makes a mistake. I know that’ll hurt him…”

“I actually think Blueblood is strong enough to walk on his own.” Fancy Pants blinked at Shining Armor. The other opened his mouth briefly, as if he wanted to say something back to Fancy Pants, but he was interrupted. “But I want to be there to help him if he trips. I’m not going to abandon him if that’s what you’re asking.”

Shining Armor seemed to toss that idea around in his head for the next few moments, but he eventually nodded his head in agreement. “You’re right… But can you make sure he at least has fun tonight?”

“That is something I can promise you.” Fancy Pants winked at Shining Armor and felt lucky to receive a smile in return. “There’s a reason nopony gossips about me being a bad date, you know.”

“I should get going then.” Shining Armor pointed back to the way they came with a nod of his head. “Blue’s gonna freeze up and get too nervous to even kiss you if I’m around. I hope you two have fun tonight.”

Shining Armor raised his hoof to Fancy Pants. Fancy waved his hoof in return, seeing Shining Armor smile at him before he walked away. Fancy Pants watched until the captain went down the stairs before he turned his attention to Blueblood’s door.

When Fancy Pants approached the doorway, he felt his chest tighten up. He looked around and spotted no royal guards before he lifted his hoof, knocking five times on the large double doors. He held his breath to listen for signs of life on the other side, and in return he was able to hear the sound of hoofsteps on the other side of the door.

“Yes, what do you…” Blueblood’s voice became clearer when he unlocked and opened the door, his eyes taking a moment to fully register that Fancy Pants was standing before him. “Fancy?”

Blueblood’s expression caught Fancy Pants’ attention. His eyes were wide and his lips soon formed a smile that Fancy Pants gave no more than a second glance to when he saw the bright red suit Blueblood wore. It caught all his attention, fitting Blueblood’s body perfectly, no baggy areas or areas that were too tight. Blueblood’s mane was a bit ruffled, as if he hadn’t properly brushed it yet. Fancy felt his heart skip a beat at the sight. Their eyes met again and Fancy Pants couldn’t think of anything but two words.

“You’re beautiful.” It spilled out of Fancy’s mouth before he could think. His face was red
there was no mistaking it. He couldn’t hold himself back when he hugged Blueblood. He didn’t even bother to kiss the prince. He simply buried his face in Blueblood’s neck.

“H-Hello,” Blueblood giggled. He gently pushed Fancy Pants off of his body and looked him in the eye. “I thought you weren’t coming until later.”

“Oh, I just imagined your gorgeous body being covered up by my outfit and thought it was such a crime that I had to come immediately,” Fancy said when he grabbed at Blueblood’s hoof and pressed it too his cheek.

“G-Get in,” Blueblood snapped at Fancy Pants. He pulled Fancy into the room quickly and shut the door behind him. Fancy found himself laughing when he caught a glimpse of Blueblood’s face, but his lover merely shook his head.

“Oh, are you really so eager?” Fancy Pants teased.

“No, I just don’t want you to be undressing me in the hallway in front of a dozen guards.” Blueblood straightened out his jacket and kept his eyes locked on the floor. Fancy Pants approached him and pressed his lips down against his ear. “Why are you here, anyway? I mean really.”

“Honestly I just wanted to see you,” Fancy Pants said when he grabbed Blueblood’s hoof and held it firmly. “Showing up to a party alone didn’t seem very appealing when you were a short walk away.”

“Even if that party is thrown for you?” Blueblood lifted his brow. Fancy Pants let out a giggle and walked with Blueblood over to the bed. “You aren’t a very good host.”

“No, but I never claimed to be.” Fancy Pants kissed Blueblood’s hoof when the prince sat down on the bed. He ran his hooves delicately over Blueblood’s outfit from his cutie marks up to his sides. Blueblood’s muscles tensed when his hooves settled on the top button.

“F-Fancy, we don’t have time for this.” Blueblood’s hooves lifted and settled on Fancy Pants’ shoulders. “Y-You’re gonna make me really regret saying that if you keep touching me like that.”

“You have such a dirty mind, Sweetheart.” Fancy Pants unbuttoned the prince’s vest. “I’m not going to do anything,” he sighed. “I just hate having your fur all hidden.”

Fancy Pants ran his hoof delicately up Blueblood’s chest fur. His lover’s hooves dug into his shoulders when he pressed his lips down at the bottom of Blueblood’s neck. He could feel a whimper run through Blueblood’s throat, which Fancy Pants giggled at.

“You hate it when I touch your chest, don’t you?” Fancy Pants nuzzled his nose against Blueblood’s fur.

“Your hooves feel strange… it’s like you’re touching fabric or something.” Blueblood seemed to struggle to keep his voice even, for each word came out slowly. “It’s light and soft and… just strange. B-But really, we don’t have much time to screw around.”

Fancy Pants wrapped his forelegs around Blueblood’s waist and held his boyfriend for a moment in silence. He pressed his cheek down against Blueblood’s warm chest and listened to his heartbeat. It reminded him of a long-lost lullaby, daring him to stay there until the end of time.

“I didn’t want to go alone,” Fancy Pants mumbled. He lifted his head away from Blueblood and stared into his cyan eyes. “I thought about going to the party and seeing all my friends, and I’d still like to do that. But all I could think about was seeing you first.”

Fancy blushed and buried his face into Blueblood’s chest once more. He desired to stay like that for quite some time. He could feel Blueblood’s forelegs rest on his shoulders, and his own heart felt light.

“Ponies are going to talk about us,” Fancy Pants stated. “I haven’t been with a pony like this in quite some time, much less a prince who isn’t even out yet. I’m… sorry for the rumors that are going to spread about you.” He paused and breathed in the scent of Blueblood’s fur. “I won’t abandon you no matter what, Sweetheart.”

Fancy Pants wished he could bring himself to look into Blueblood’s eyes once more, but something burning in his chest held him back. He swallowed hard and lifted one hoof onto Bluebloods chest before he began to rub it in small circles.

“Fancy, we can just laugh that off, right?” Blueblood asked. His hooves were pressing into Fancy Pants’ shoulders now. He was indeed much stronger than he looked, for his grasp felt tight.

“Of course we can,” Fancy Pants replied. He tried to force a smile, but it ended up falling flat. He pushed himself off of Blueblood and sat there on the floor looking up into the prince’s eyes. “It’s just that the rumors get a bit nasty. Thirteen years doesn’t help either.”

“Thirteen?” Blueblood’s looked at Fancy Pants with a tilted head, as if he was trying to understand.

“It’s just…” Fancy Pants found his words trailing off and threatening to slip away. “I keep thinking about the day the princess died. I was already a teenager when you were born. I didn’t live in Canterlot, yet I remember it was big news because it was all so sudden.” Fancy Pants wanted to hold Blueblood close to him, but simply got onto the bed next to his lover and pressed a hoof over Blueblood’s heart. “I’m… there are a lot of rumors when a man my age gets a lover as young and as… dashing as you are. There may be rumors about your personality, Sweetheart, but frankly you’re breathtaking.”

He stole a quick glance to Blueblood’s face and felt happy that a brief smile was indeed there. He leaned in and kissed Blueblood’s cheek.

“What kind of rumors?” Blueblood asked, his voice somewhat hesitant. His hoof went to the spot Fancy kissed before he put it over Fancy’s own.

“Trophy boyfriend at best.” Fancy Pants let out a whinny. There was something cold in his chest the more he thought about these things that dared to surface. “Boy-toy at worst.”

“B-Boy what?” Blueblood’s voice grew quiet.

“It means tha-”

“I know what it means!” Blueblood snapped. His cheeks were pink and his heart was indeed beating faster than before.

“Sweetheart, I’m just saying this so you won’t be too upset.” Fancy Pants stared down at the bed covers and bit into his lip. “This is all worst-case scenario of course. I just hate to see you upset. And you look beautiful, but… I know how much you hate the public eye.”

Fancy Pants stared at Blueblood’s outfit with a forced smile on his face. Just the sight of Blueblood looking so handsome made his heartbeat quicken these days. However, the more his mind lingered on the topic, the more it became clear to him that his own eyes were beginning to water.

“F-Fancy?” Blueblood’s voice was quick and full of panic at the sight of Fancy’s face. The older unicorn found himself sniffling as well as cursing under his breath.

“I know you can think of a few dozen more stallions who are far more handsome than me,” Fancy Pants tried to laugh, but it sounded choked. “Stallions who a-aren’t as tubby and don’t have wrinkles and… and don’t still listen to music from a decade ago.”

Blueblood lifted a hoof, but from the look of his face, it was clear he felt lost on what to do.

“I’m old and… I-I’ve felt old for a long time.” Fancy Pants bit into his cheek and sniffled again. “Y-You make me feel younger though, like some lovesick colt with his first crush. I feel… alive again. But I know that you could do much better than some old stallion like me.”

It was sudden but also gentle when Blueblood’s hooves grabbed Fancy Pants’ face. The older unicorn didn’t even realize that a tear had spilt until he saw how blurred Blueblood’s face looked. The hooves that held him in place brought him closer, where Blueblood kissed right under his eye on the wet area. His lips were so soft.

“I think that… you’re pretty breathtaking too, Big Bear.” Blueblood let Fancy Pants wipe at his eyes with his coated foreleg. Blueblood’s face became clear before him when he sniffled yet again. It was less than a few seconds before Blueblood brought Fancy Pants into a hug and held him there with his strong forelegs.

“Blueblood?” Fancy Pants couldn’t help but say his lover’s name when some time had passed.

“I like your wrinkles,” Blueblood giggled. It was a sweet sounding giggle, like honey to his ears. “They fit you… and when you get excited, I barely notice them because I get excited too. A-And I like you being a bit tubby… You’re nice and soft and when you hug me it makes me feel warm.”

Blueblood was running his hoof through Fancy Pants’ mane. He kissed the base of his lover’s horn. His muscles were tight and his words slow, but it was clear from the rapid beating of his heart that he wasn’t fabricating any of what he was saying.

“I don’t care if you’re twelve or thirteen or even twenty years older… I still hate seeing you get upset over silly things like this.” Blueblood pushed Fancy Pants away and their eyes locked. “You’re not just some… replacement because I couldn’t get Shining. And that still hurts, but every day it hurts less because… because I know you’re here.”

Fancy Pants hadn’t noticed it before, but Blueblood was indeed trembling. His forelegs weren’t nearly as solid as they had felt a moment ago, and his eyes looked damp.

“Sweetheart…”

“You’re so stupid for thinking things like that!” Blueblood snapped, his eyes sparking briefly. “I… I hate having to be so mushy. I just want to hit you!”

Fancy Pants wiped at his eyes again. “Hit me?”

“Yes!” Blueblood nearly growled. “I wouldn’t be wearing this suit if I didn’t care about you! I’d be too scared to leave the castle if… if I didn’t think you’d smile when you saw me at the party.”

Blueblood was indeed blushing by now. Fancy Pants quickly grabbed at his hoof and gave it a squeeze. He scooted himself closer to the prince and smiled. It was Blueblood who looked like he was close to tears at this point, though more out of frustration than anything.

Blueblood raised his forelegs and hugged Fancy Pants. The older unicorn could smell Blueblood’s shampoo, just like a rose. He hugged Blueblood back, and the two stayed like that for quite some time.

“Tomorrow,” Fancy Pants whispered into Blueblood’s ear. “Tomorrow we can just lie in bed all day without any kind of dress shirts or bow-ties. We can be alone, and I won’t push you to do any of this…”

“What, no dirty comment there?” Blueblood giggled.

“Well, I assumed free reign on my hooves touching you was part of the plan,” Fancy Pants’ voice was still choked, but he was already regaining some of his composure.

“That… sounds nice.” Blueblood nodded his head. “But that’s still after tonight… Shouldn’t we get going soon? You’re going to end up being late to your own party, Big Bear.”

Fancy Pants closed his eyes and giggled. He squeezed Blueblood’s body closer to him and kissed his neck.

“Five more minutes,” he replied.

It began to occur to Prince Blueblood that he had underestimated just how much he had distanced himself from parties in the past. Even sitting inside the carriage leaning up against Fancy Pants’ side, the prince found himself shying away from looking out of the carriage the closer they got to the gardens. He was thankful for Fancy Pants’ warmth, but he had in fact taken to closing his eyes and pressing his muzzle against Fancy’s coat.

The warm night air was blowing through his mane. The stars above began to shine one by one until they blanketed the sky in their glow. He tried to look up at them, but the wind in his eyes made it difficult to do little more than squint.

“We’re here, Sweetheart.” Fancy Pants’ sounded like he was attempting to be cheery. Blueblood struggled not to fall on the seat when Fancy slid his body out of the carriage’s open door. The prince could feel his heartbeat quicken when he was forced to stare straight ahead at what looked to be an arch made of vines and leaves that was as tall as eight ponies and as thick as five.

Blueblood sat up the best he could and watched Fancy Pants fumble with some bits to give to the carriage driver. Blueblood found himself looking away from his boyfriend and instead staring right into the belly of the beast before him. They were already later than needed, for nopony else seemed to be wandering around the entrance into the building,it’s lights shining bright. The more he stared at the arch, the more he felt like it was a gateway into a world of uneasiness and doubt.

“Blueblood?” Fancy Pants asked. Blueblood blinked his eyes and snapped out of wherever his mind had been. He looked down to see Fancy Pants holding out his hoof, and the prince couldn’t help but wonder how long he had been waiting. Blueblood took the hoof and let himself slide out of the cart and onto the cobblestone pathway. Fancy kept holding his hoof and brought it to his lips for a gentle kiss. “You’re going to be my rose tonight.”

“Your late rose. Honestly you can’t just show up late to your own party.” Blueblood glared at Fancy Pants. The swheels of the cart behind the two began to turn, and before he knew it their only getaway was on its way out. Blueblood looked around and couldn’t spot another pony in sight, though he could certainly hear the sound of the party and gentle music in the air.

“Oh, I believe it’s growing in popularity to be a bit fashionably late to your own party,” Fancy Pants said with a voice that sounded far more confident than it should have. He held his hoof over his chest and boldly proclaimed, “Besides, I had to make room for the very important engagement I had with my lover.”

Blueblood smiled, but his face soon began to ache when he glanced into the arch. He quickly put his hoof over his chest and felt the lump in his pocket, which at least gave him relief for half of a second. But the arch still felt like an obstacle.

“It’s going to be alright,” Fancy Pants said once more in that tone of confidence. There was a big smile on his face, and even Blueblood had trouble telling whether it was genuine or simply supportive. “Sweetheart, please just don’t worry. If something does go wrong, I highly doubt I’d be upset with you.” Fancy looked up and down the prince’s body. “You look beautiful.”

“You told me that already…” Blueblood looked away from Fancy Pants. He could feel his face warm up at Fancy’s gaze.

“I know. I’m giving you updates.” Fancy Pants’ grin changed to a smirk. He held out his hoof once more, and Blueblood stared at it. The prince swallowed hard and put a shaking hoof down onto Fancy’s own. Fancy Pants gave him a tug, and into the belly of the beast they went.

Blueblood found himself holding his breath when they went through the arch. It was as though all the air in his system had been sucked out of him until he remembered to breathe once more. The cobblestone turned to dirt, and Blueblood made certain not to kick any up and ruin his snow-white fur. On either side of the pathway there were rose bushes, fully in bloom and mesmerizing to look at.

“I guess nopony is really interested in flowers tonight.” Fancy Pants’ voice held a sigh. He smiled faintly when the scent hit his nose, but he was still on the same course for the room with all his guests. “I do hope Fleur isn’t worried about us.”

The sounds of the party grew louder, and Blueblood realized he could hear a violin. His ears perked up, and he looked at the light the building was giving off. The smell of food and drink hit his nose. The building was large, at least large enough to hold three dozen ponies comfortably for a party. The steps leading up to the doorway looked like a million and one, and Fancy’s hoof echoed like thunder when it pressed down.

“F-Fancy!” Blueblood wasn’t sure why he shouted, but the name slipped out. He gripped the fabric of his suit in his hoof and saw Fancy’s eyes fall upon him. The prince breathed in and out slowly, at least the best he could manage all things considered. He swallowed hard and bit down on both cheeks.

“What is it, Sweetheart?” Fancy Pants stepped down from the door. He put his hooves on Blueblood’s shoulders and looked into his eyes. “I’m right here, don’t worry.”

Blueblood’s eyes kept darting from the door to Fancy Pants. He struggled not to let his eyes water, but they did anyway. He closed his eyes to prevent Fancy Pants from seeing, and he began to count to ten in his head. When he opened his eyes, he stared at Fancy’s lips and, leaning forward, soon found them against his own. The kiss seemed to soften his muscles, but not completely. Fancy kissed him back in that moment, and right then, Blueblood’s head felt clearer than the sky.

Fancy pulled away after an all too brief kiss. “What was that for?”

“I… I wanted to remind myself why I’m doing all of this for a dirty old stallion.” Blueblood smiled. He wanted to kiss Fancy Pants again, but he knew it would only further delay the inevitable. At the very least, he was happy that Fancy kissed his nose before turning away.

The steps had faded from a thunderous echo to a dull click with every step the two took up the dozen stairs. The large white building before them looked purple in the light of the moon, though when Fancy Pants pushed at the door with help from his magic, the life inside the party seemed to quiet down.

Blueblood stayed in the moonlight for just a moment, as if afraid the artificial light from the party would burn him. He looked to Fancy Pants and somehow found the courage to risk stepping in beside his lover. While the room itself was very white with half a dozen windows and a crystal chandelier above their heads, it was indeed very hard to make out specific details with so many ponies around
ostly ponies of wealth and business, the few exceptions being a waiter or two who ran around and the three ponies playing instruments up on a pedestal-like center stage.

Everypony fell silent for Fancy Pants. Blueblood stepped in beside him and felt a hundred eyes on him. He tried to stand up straight the best he could and keep his chest puffed out despite his beating heart, but he could still feel nerves grip at him.

“Is that the prince?” he heard a voice whisper from the crowd. He swallowed a lump in his throat and tried to stare at Fancy Pants’ body, if only to look away from the crowd.

“Fancy!” A feminine voice called out from the crowd. A good majority of the crowd parted when the guest of honor walked into the room, though Blueblood couldn’t help but feel a large portion of the crowd was looking at him instead. He looked around, and sure enough he was the brightest-colored one in the room. Even the mares seemed to wear softer colors.

“Hello there, darling.” Fancy Pants looked around at the dozen or so ponies who had broken from the crowd to talk to the host. Fleur De Liss walked up to greet Fancy Pants personally.

“You are very late,” Fleur stated. “Almost thirty minutes. Hoity said he would start to get drunk without you.”

“And what a crime that would be.” Fancy Pants’ voice was different. He seemed confident talking loudly in the midst of a dozen eyes upon him. “I do apologize for being so late, everypony. I was in the middle of my journey here where I forgot I left my rose at home. Not to worry though. I found a backup.”

Fancy Pants looked to Blueblood with a genuine smile on his face. He adjusted his monocle when he looked back to Blueblood, and now the prince was sure ponies were staring at him. He held his breath for but a moment, noticing just how many eyes were widening at the sight of a prince at such a small event.

A pink mare in a large white hat eyed Blueblood, though his outfit seemed to be more of her concern. Blueblood tried to focus on the sound of Fancy’s voice as well as the violin in the air.

“What an outfit…” Blueblood heard a mumble from the crowd.

“Ponies please.” Fancy Pants lifted his hooves in the air and chuckled loud enough for everypony to hear. “Those of you who know me know I hate a party with all the focus in one area. Try to ignore my tardiness and just go back to having a good time.”

A few ponies slowly dispersed, but luckily most of them seemed happy with what little Fancy Pants had said. Those who remained asked a few questions that Blueblood hadn’t managed to pick up on. He did however still feel eyes drift to him and his red suit. While Fancy Pants was dealing with two older mares making small talk with him, he felt several ponies brush past him.

A hoof settled down on Blueblood’s cutie mark, and the prince had to try very hard to keep his body from instinctively kicking whoever was touching him. He did however jump around and smell a distinct smell of wine in the air. He saw a champagne glass being swirled around and wrapped in a grey hoof before his mind registered Hoity Toity standing next to him.

“I must say, you look even more handsome in that outfit than I imagined,” Hoity Toity giggled. He didn’t seem too drunk at the very least. Blueblood returned the smile with one of his own. “Though you stand out more than I thought you would. I’ve never see mares dress so drably.”

“Hello, Hoity,” Blueblood said with a tone that only contained a bit of relief. He was glad that there was at least one familiar face in the crowd tonight. “You’re not drunk already, are you?”

“Oh, I wish.” Hoity Toity looked to Fancy Pants. “Fancy over there would get mad at me if I got too out of it before he even showed up. But it looks like you’re going to be occupying most of his time tonight. How exactly are you holding up?”

“Well…” Blueblood looked down at his own body, and then looked into the crowd to see at least three ponies glancing to him. “It isn’t exactly common for me to attend parties outside the castle without the princesses very often. Honestly ponies with high class tend to have very little shame about these things.”

Blueblood grumbled under his breath while he forced himself to look away from the staring eyes. Hoity Toity looked to him by lowering his sunglasses and then looking into the crowd.

“And exactly how many of those have you had?” Blueblood jumped when he heard Fancy’s voice come from behind him. The stallion walked up to Hoity Toity and stared at his glass. Fleur was beside him with a content smile on her face, her dress green but not nearly as bright as Blueblood’s outfit.

“I think I’m beginning to get sick of ponies hounding me about that.” Hoity Toity shrugged his shoulders and downed the rest of the glass as if it were a shot. “That was one. I plan to have more.”

“Hoity...” Fleur’s eyes looked like she was enjoying herself, though a smile was not on her face. “You don’t want to repeat Fancy’s little incident from a few weeks ago, do you?”

“Do we have to bring that up?” Fancy Pants’ cheeks were a pale pink at the mention of that, but even Blueblood couldn’t help but chuckle. Fancy Pants looked to him with a hurtful expression that was so obviously fake Blueblood laughed louder. He covered his mouth with his hoof to keep from drawing too much attention.

“Why don’t the four of us just all get drunk together?” Hoity Toity suggested as he swirled the empty glass in the middle of the group. “The birthday colt is here after all. Might as well have some fun.”

“That sounds terribly irresponsible.” Fleur rolled her eyes.

“I think I’m going to have to pass on that one, actually.” Fancy Pants bumped up against Blueblood before he put his foreleg over the back of Blueblood’s neck. “I’m afraid I’m already booked up for the rest of the night. As much as I love to pretend I’m twenty.”

“You mean you don’t already with a boyfriend half your age?” Hoity questioned.

“J-Jealous?” Blueblood was surprised at even himself that he spoke up. Even if he did stutter the word, he managed to smile and feel Fancy Pants’ lips press lightly to his ear.

“Oh Celestia you’re picking up his stupid tongue,” Hoity Toity said before he let out an overly dramatic sigh.

Fleur’s eyes widened. She opened her mouth as if to say ‘oh’, but quickly shut up. She gave Fancy Pants a smile that reached her eyes and looked happier than Blueblood had ever seen her. It dulled down quickly, but she quickly looked to Hoity Toity.

“Let’s leave the two of them alone for a while, Hoity.” Fleur smiled and trotted over to Hoity Toity in three large steps. “We don’t want to interrupt their little date any further than we already have. We’ll have plenty of time to catch up later.”

“Thank you, Fleur,” Fancy Pants chuckled.

“But… Oh whatever.” Hoity Toity let a whinny past his lips. “You two owe me a night of drinking!”

“Now now,” Fleur soothed the stallion before she tugged on his dress shirt. “Let’s not bother the two for a while.” She gave Fancy Pants a wink before she managed to pull Hoity in the opposite direction. The two soon disappeared into the mass of the party, and Blueblood felt Fancy’s weight leave his shoulder.

“You probably don’t want to see me drunk again,” Fancy Pants chuckled, though his face was still pink. “Especially if we get in bed together. I’m awfully dirty when I’m intoxicated.”

“More than you already are, Dirty Old Man?” Blueblood grinned at Fancy Pants before he bumped gently into him.

“You wound me.” Fancy Pants put a hoof over his heart before he began to trot slowly. Blueblood was right at his side, trying his best to look to Fancy Pants every time he felt the eyes of the crowd fall upon him. Most ponies greeted him with a smile and occasionally a hoof shake, and once or twice Blueblood was actually complimented on his outfit. He found it difficult to respond, so Fancy usually just thanked them and moved on.

“This party feels like it’s hardly for you.” Blueblood glanced around. “It just looks like another gala… albeit much smaller… Ponies are looking at me a lot.”

“I enjoy regular parties.” Fancy Pants shrugged his shoulders. “And they’re only looking at you because you’re so beautiful.”

“Is that another update?” Blueblood asked.

“Hmm… no, I think it’s just a fact at this point.” Fancy Pants giggled. Blueblood could always feel his nerves die down at the sight of Fancy Pants’ smile. “I just enjoy the life of parties. Having you here by my side just makes it all the better… I usually make it a point to ask my guests not to bring presents and make it a relatively open invitation.”

“You invite a bunch of strangers to your parties?” Blueblood raised his brow.

“Strangers are just friends you haven’t introduced yourself to yet.” Fancy Pants grinned at his lover.

“What children’s book did you steal that one from?” Blueblood tried to bump up against Fancy Pants, but he was interrupted by a yellow unicorn in a suit holding a notebook and quill with his magic.

“Yes, hello Fancy Pants.” The stallion spoke fast, the quill seemingly ready to scribble all over the paper. “I was just wondering when we can find that beautiful suit on the market for us to buy. I’ve been talking to the ponies around here
they all adore it.”

Fancy Pants straightened out his bowtie, a chuckle on his breath as his public face returned. It wasn’t exactly a mask, but it was like Fancy had been given a new breath of life.

“Well you see, it’s not exactly something for sale. I did create it, yes, but it’s more of a gift.”

The quill was scribbling down, and Fancy’s eyes looked into Blueblood’s for a brief second. He smiled, and Blueblood’s chest felt looser.

“What exactly was the gift for? And why to the prince?” The reporter seemed more curious than before. He looked to Blueblood and gave a brief but polite bow of his head. “Your Grace.”

“I… I uh…” Blueblood looked to Fancy Pants and then back to the reporter. “It’s because… F-Fancy Pants wanted to give his new boyfriend a present.”

“Boyfriend?” The reporter’s face seemed like it wanted to smile, but it resisted. Blueblood nodded his head before he held his breath. “Really? Oh wow! Oh wow I’m going to get a million bits for being the first one to release this story!”

He seemed happy, and opened his mouth to ask more questions before Fancy Pants raised his hoof. The older unicorn shook his head. “Thank you, that’s enough,” he said politely. He grabbed Blueblood’s hoof and pulled him away from the reporter, and it was only then that Blueblood realized his heart was pounding.

“Boyfriend, huh?” Fancy asked. His voice sounded like he was about to tease Blueblood again.

“Well you are!” Blueblood snapped. Fancy laughed at him, and Blueblood merely tried his best not to break a smile and look irritated. Of course, he failed.

Fancy Pants backed up while he looked at Blueblood, a big smile still on his face until he accidently bumped into a mare.

“Oh, my apologies!” Fancy Pants quickly said to the mare. She simply gave him a smile and put her hooves on the shoulders of a stallion before her. Blueblood looked around and realized that at least three other couples were in the area, and it was only then did he realize the music was starting up again.

“We should probably clear the dance floor,” Fancy Pants said. His smile faltered for but a moment while he stared at Blueblood. He opened his mouth and adjusted his monocle, a laugh returning to fill the silence despite how nervous Fancy suddenly looked. “Unless… you would like to dance with me?”

Fancy Pants grabbed Blueblood’s hoof and took a step closer. Despite the two being relatively similar in height, Blueblood felt small. He looked at the hoof Fancy was holding and shut his eyes for just a second.

“You lead,” Blueblood answered.

“I warn you: I haven’t danced in an age.” Fancy Pants smiled at Blueblood when he put his hoof on the prince’s shoulder. The sound of violin broke the air in a bit of a faster tune than a slow dance, and Fancy pulled him along to the sound. The dance was just a bit faster than what he had practiced with Cadence.

Blueblood found feel Fancy Pants’ body press up to his every time their turned. His heart beat as fast as Blueblood’s own, and his grip was tight yet steady. Blueblood could feel the eyes from the crowd stare at him when he looked away from his own hooves, and for just a moment he accidently pulled the wrong way. A flush of embarrassment hit his face, and he wanted to close his eyes.

“Pay attention to me, instead,” Fancy Pants gently whispered into his ear when they were closer together. Blueblood forced himself to look at Fancy Pants. The smile he gave off was unlike any other feeling Blueblood had felt that night. Fancy swayed to the music and pulled Blueblood with him at another turn. At each strum of music, Fancy’s hips swayed from side to side, and he even began humming the tune. It was such a sight that Blueblood had to struggle not to burst into a fit of giggling.

“What, you don’t like my dancing?” Fancy Pants asked. He increased his speed and started moving with more energy. “I thought you of all ponies would love to see me shake my tail.”

“You look like a fool.” Blueblood giggled. Despite his own words, he found himself focusing on Fancy and swaying himself to the sound that filled his ears. When Fancy Pants gave him a smirk, it was all Blueblood could do not to laugh. He instead buried his face in Fancy’s shoulder and breathed in the scent of his cologne. Fancy was warmer than before, a damp feeling up against the tip of his ear when it brushed Fancy’s neck.

Blueblood looked into the crowd once more, but for the first time didn’t feel very bothered by all the ponies staring at him. He looked back into Fancy’s cyan eyes and could feel him slowing down with the music. The older unicorn was breathing heavily, and before Blueblood knew it, so was he.

“I envy your energy, Sweetheart,” Fancy chuckled when he dabbed at his forehead with his hoof.

Blueblood pressed his lips against Fancy’s own. He didn’t worry about the crowd staring, and simply decided he wanted to be there with Fancy Pants in that moment. It didn’t last too long, but Fancy’s moustache did indeed tickle his muzzle when he gave Blueblood another peck.

The music suddenly changed, greatly picking up in speed. Blueblood glanced to the stage and back to Fancy, seeing the unicorn’s ears lay flat on his head.

“Oh Luna no,” Fancy Pants laughed. He grabbed Blueblood’s hoof and dragged him off the stage. Oncethey were in the crowd, again he slowed down, snaking himself and Blueblood a path to the back. Blueblood’s heart was pounding for a different reason, and his face was beginning to hurt from smiling so much. They trotted up to the door, and Fancy pushed it open with his hoof.

“I’m sorry, Sweetheart. I need some fresh air.” Fancy Pants’ face was beginning to turn red. Blueblood followed him out the door and realized his lover was laughing. Fancy Pants sat on the steps and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to dab at his forehead. “That was fun… tiring, but fun.”

Blueblood sat down carefully beside Fancy Pants. It was difficult to resist the urge to lean up against Fancy Pants’ side, so he didn’t bother. Fancy Pants’ warmth was pleasant, like a warm blanket.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Fancy Pants asked. He wrapped a hoof around Blueblood’s side and stared out into the rose bushes. “I mean… that dance wasn’t too much for you, was it?”

“Actually, I practiced with Cadence earlier… I’m glad Shining didn’t kick me for nothing.” Blueblood chuckled.

“I’m still waiting for the details on that, actually.” Fancy Pants pulled Blueblood a few inches closer and pressed his lips down on his ear. “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”

“As first public dates go, this is better than I thought it would be,” Blueblood said as looked down at his own hooves. “But it’s your birthday after all, and you’re enjoying yourself, right? I mean, I’m happy. I want you to be happy too.”

“I’m wonderful.” Fancy Pants’ put his other hoof on Blueblood’s chest. He leaned down and nuzzled his muzzle against Blueblood’s neck. The moustache tickled horribly, and Blueblood had to bite on his lip to not laugh. “I’m looking forward to my ‘gift’ tonight more than anything. Remember the one you promised back at the castle?”

“Oh can it.” Blueblood rolled his eyes despite knowing Fancy wouldn’t see. Just as a pair of lips pressed down onto his neck, he feltFancy Pants pull away. The other’s hoof patted down onto his chest and a frown soon crossed his face.

“What’s this?”

“F-Fancy, tha-!” Blueblood grabbed Fancy Pants’ hoof just as it began to reach into his coat pocket. Fancy Pants looked puzzled. He tilted his head and stared at Blueblood who was putting Fancy’s hoof onto the step. “I… I wanted to give that to you later.”

“Give me what?” Fancy Pants asked. “Oh, is it a present? Sweetheart, you didn’t need to buy me anything.”

“No it’s… well yes it is, but…” Blueblood groaned loudly. He reached into the pocket of his coat and fumbled around for a few seconds. “Why do you have to be so grabby?”

“It’s a sickness,” Fancy Pants admitted. “Tragic really. I have to grab handsome stallions at every waking moment or else I die.”

“Funny,” Blueblood stated without a trace of humor in his voice. He pulled out the item in his pocket and held it in his hooves. “Close your eyes.”

“Alright.” Fancy Pants smiled and closed his eyes. Blueblood grabbed Fancy’s hoof and placed upon it a small key with a chain around it. Fancy Pants opened his eyes and stared at the key for a few moments. “I… I uh… what is this exactly?”

“It’s a key,” Blueblood stated.

“Yes I know very well that it’s a key, but what for?” Fancy Pants was laughing. The key was golden with tiny blue gemstones at the handle. He turned it around in his hooves a few times before he looked to Blueblood with curiosity.

“It’s for… my room.” Blueblood smiled softly. He looked away from Fancy Pants, a hint of embarrassment hitting his face. “Sometimes I lock my door, and I don’t want anypony else to come in… I usually open it up when somepony knocks, but I’ve been thinking that… I always want to see you. No matter how bad I feel, I always want to see you. I-I know that you still need the guard’s permission to even come into the castle, and this doesn’t really mean that much. P-Ponies usually give each other house keys when they feel comfortable, right? I read that a few times in some books. I can’t exactly give you the key to the castle though.”

“I love it,” Fancy stated. There wasn’t a hint of uncertainty or doubt in his tone. Blueblood stopped babbling at once and could feel the relief hit his face. Without much warning he hugged Fancy Pants with a great deal of strength in his arms. Fancy held him back, and for just a moment the world was silent. He placed the key in his own breast pocket and pressed it over his heart.

“And I love you…” Blueblood said. Instantly, Fancy Pants’ muscles tightened, and Blueblood felt like he was nearly hit in the face by the beat of Fancy’s heart. “I love you, Fancy.”

“I… I love you too, Blueblood.” Fancy Pants pushed Blueblood away and held him at a foreleg’s length. That didn’t last long though, because their lips met under the gaze of the moonlight. Fancy held him throughout the kiss, a sort of hug that was tighter and more caring than Blueblood had ever felt before. When he pulled away, he kissed Blueblood’s cheek and giggled.

“What’s so funny?”

“Oh, I was just thinking how attractive you are right now,” Fancy Pants laughed. When he pulled away again, Blueblood saw him wipe at his eyes. “And wondering just how far we needed to go before I undressed you and touched you everywhere.”

“Oh, shut up!” Blueblood whined. He had never resisted the urge to laugh so hard in his entire life.

“I thought you liked being royally fucked.” Fancy Pants ran a hoof through his own mane.

“That joke still isn’t funny,” Blueblood complained. He jabbed his hoof into Fancy’s belly.

“You don’t like the idea of being with me in the middle of rose bushes? That sounds downright romantic to me.” Fancy Pants got to his hooves. “You are my rose after all.”

“It sounds more like a way to get thorns in very bad places,” Blueblood answered with a whinny. “I can’t believe you complained about getting older. You’re more immature than a teenager”

Fancy Pants opened his mouth to answer, but Blueblood saw his ears perk up at the sound of a much slower tune beginning from within the party. A grin crossed his face, and he held out his hoof to Blueblood. “I think I can handle a slow dance. How about you? We have the whole night ahead of us, after all.”

“You’re the old man who pants after one dance.” Blueblood grinned. He grabbed Fancy Pants’ hoof and felt a rush of energy hit his body. Fancy took a single step, but Blueblood could feel himself trot faster. By the time they were at the top of the stairs, Blueblood was the one pulling Fancy Pants along.

“Are you ready for the rest of the night, Sweetheart?” Fancy Pants asked when he caught up to Blueblood.

“Of course.” Blueblood nodded his head and smiled at Fancy Pants. “I am your rose, after all.”

The door to the outside world shut, and Blueblood pulled Fancy along into the crowd. Fancy Pants’ gaze made him truly feel like a blossoming rose, though his heart had only recently bloomed. With Fancy Pants’ hoof in his own, Blueblood felt like he could face the world.

The End

Seedling

The sound of the beating water was all the snow white stallion could hear. Prince Blueblood's body shivered despite the feeling of warm water running down his neck and over his legs. He pressed his hoof against the wall of the shower when he began to feel a tad queasy. The soap flowing down from his mane and over the back of his neck smelled strongly of roses to him. The liquid dulled from eye-catching red to pink, sliding down the drain. It reminded him of his own stomach, spinning and twisting around.

The stallion narrowed his cyan eyes. His fur which has one been dull and dirty was now pure white like snow when he scrubbed. He had managed to lose track of just how long he had been standing here by himself. If his mind ever came back to reality his stomach would twist and he would begin to feel ill. He decided that while it did make him calm, keeping his mind so unfocused would help nopony.

Prince Blueblood sighed loudly under the screaming stream of water. He reached for a golden handle encrusted with a royal blue gemstone. He turned the handle with a swift snap of his hoof and felt the water grind to a halt. His own breath along with the drip of the faucet above were the only two sounds that filled his ears for quite some time.

“My prince,” A high pitched voice came from the other side of the large bathroom. It managed to make the young prince jump. Blueblood bit into his cheek when he realized he had forgotten for just a moment that he wasn't alone. He looked over to the wall near the doorway and spotted a brown stallion. The stallion's body was wrapped a green sweater vest and coat. There was a rose peaking out from the collar which he quickly adjusted before hopping to his hooves with a stretch of the legs. His eyes met the prince’s before Blueblood turned away. “You've been in there for nearly an hour. We're to be late if you dally any longer. You're probably all wrinkled now, right?"

“Thank you, Sunny,” Blueblood’s realized his words sounded much duller than he intended. He put a hoof to his lips and bit down on the end. He stared off briefly at the door and felt the gears in his head turn. “For not disturbing me, that is."

Blueblood wiped his soggy mane with his hoof and felt his body drip with the water body. Sunny levitated a towel over to him with the use of his magic. Blueblood took it carefully from the air and quickly began drying his body. He dried off just enough so that he wouldn't leave small puddles behind him while he walked, but he was still wet when he trotted up to Sunny.

“Rare for you to thank me for something so small.” Sunny grinned mischievously when he ran his hoof through his blonde mane. “I know you'll only get in a huff if I rush you. You look stressed and worried enough as it is."

"I don't look stressed and worried," Blueblood stated when he glared his eyes at Sunny. From the look of his servant he must not have sounded as convincing as he thought he did. He trotted past Sunny and stared down at the purple floors that looked so polished they gave off a shine. He entered his large bedroom and looked over to the large windows that seemed almost larger than life. The height of them was similar to the ceiling of his room. There was a time when he was younger that Prince Blueblood thought the ancient royal ponies must have been giants, for everything in his room and the castle was standing at a grand size. The ceiling was the only dull color in the room, for it was pure white like his fur.

The older unicorn followed him silently and simply shrugged his shoulders before Blueblood stepped into his large bedroom. The prince ran the towel over his mane with a single hoof and trotted up to the window. He could feel a gentle breeze from the balcony hit his damp body and his body involuntarily shivered. He grabbed one of the curtains that danced in the breeze and pushed it aside to stare out to the entrance of the castle. There were already mares and stallions entering the castle and chatting excitedly. They were loud. The mob of voices were already audible as they drew ever closer to the castle.

Prince Blueblood pulled the towel over his head when he saw the massive number of ponies pouring into the castle. Celestia, he could already hear the noise in his ears echoing around his once spacious home. Even his own empty room felt like the walls were closing in on him the louder the echos became. His own breath got caught in his throat and he felt as though he was suffocating. He slammed his hoof down on the purple floors and turned away. His heartbeat was loud in his ears.

"Close the curtains, Sunny," Blueblood demanded with a cut of his hoof through the air. He saw the twilight sun that once streamed into his room hide beneath the shadows. When he glanced behind him he saw the last remnants of Sunny's magical glowing grasp on the curtains. The room was now only lit by the light bulbs from above. With the room darkened and echoes growing quieter it suddenly became much easier to breathe.

“S-Sunny?" Blueblood asked. He tightened the muscles in his legs when he realized he had stuttered. He removed the towel from his head by pushing it back to his shoulders. "Did you mention to Aunty Celestia what kind of music I requested?"

“I did indeed." When Blueblood looked to Sunny the stallion had a smile plastered onto his face. "I requested a wide variety of classical music. Though I must apologize. You weren't very specific in the artists you enjoyed so I didn't know who to request."

“Anything's fine,” Blueblood mumbled quietly. He let his cyan eyes glanced over his bed. The thing somehow seemed even bigger than a king size did. The blankets were shining lavender and the sheets a dark purple to match. He had perhaps half a dozen small pillows all arranged neatly at the top. Though his gaze merely skimmed over these minor details when he spotted a large blue bow tie atop a small button up vest and dress shirt. He ran his hoof over the soft cloth and silk bow-tie when he came up to his bed. “When did these things arrive?”

“Right then,” Sunny said with a nod to the clothing. He lifted Blueblood's clothing with his magic and hopped in front of Blueblood. When Blueblood examined the outfit more closely he could only frown. He couldn't quite put his hoof on why his chest felt cold at the sight of it, but it did. “One of the guards brought this for you! I had it special fitted for tonight. I'm sure you'll be the center of attention, in a good way I mean. It won't be like..." The stallion’s words drifted away. Sunny quickly swiped the thought away by wagging his hoof in front of his face. “Oh never mind that. Anyway, once we get you all dressed and ready you’ll have to go down and see Celestia and talk with her for a while. After that you can get some food and mingle for a bit with the gue-"

“Do I truly have to go tonight?” Blueblood interrupted his butler. He hadn't mean to blurt it out in the muddle of the other's sentence, but Sunny was talking so fast it was near impossible to get a word in otherwise. The Prince dug his hoof into the towel until it was wrinkled and ugly. He let his damp fur wet his bed covers when he sat down on top of it. Water dripped from his long mane to the floor below. He put the towel over his head once more and held it firmly over his ears. “What does a prince have to do with something like the Grand Galloping Gala anyway?”

“Appearance!” Sunny said as he flicked his hoof against Blueblood's horn. Blueblood flinched and rubbed at his horn. “We've been over this! You don’t have to speak to anypony as usual but I'm recommending you do. But just some appearance from the royal family is nice every once in a while. If you stay in your tower they'll just be nasty rumors about why you make any sort of public appearance!” He rolled his eyes at the prince. Blueblood could feel a blush come to his face when Sunny scolded him.

“Celestia likes part of the royal family to show up. It gives us in the castle a sense of family and other ponies look up to us as an example. At least that’s what she likes to say,” Sunny’s eyes drifted to the window where the curtains had been shut. Blueblood wondered how soon it would be until ponies flooded the halls with laughter and small talk that wouldn't be remembered the next day. “Plus it wouldn’t hurt you to be a little more sociable. You aren’t exactly like Princess Cadence, now are you?”

"Cadence is..." Blueblood pressed his hoof to his forehead to keep his head from spinning. He bit down onto his lip before he shook the thought away. Water dripped from his mane to his leg and soaked up into his snow white fur. “How long am I required to attend?”

Sunny frowned. “At least for a few hours,” His tone was quick to the point. “Then I can walk you up here hoof in hand like when you were young and it got past your bedtime if you desire, but for now you're on your own.”

"I..." Blueblood could feel his cheeks darken in color. He bit down on his tongue to keep Sunny from scolding him any further. He wanted to keep his eyes shut for a few more moments, but a piece of fabric was soon pressed up against his nose. When he opened his eyes Sunny was using his magic to hold out Blueblood's outfit.

“Come on! Get up,” Sunny said with an impatient gesture of his hoof. He pulled Blueblood off of his covers and quickly began drying off Blueblood's body with the towel in the areas where he was still damp. “Celestia wants you there before the party ends! Your father always said that being early was a good sign of a true royal family member.”

“Yeah… My father... he said that,” Blueblood glanced away from Sunny when he spoke. He could feel an uneasy sinking in his gut when the thought of his father crossed his mind. He ran his hoof over his mane and pulled at the end until it stung.

Sunny began putting the dress shirt over Blueblood's body. The fabric already starting to itch and feel rough on his skin when hooves smoothed it out and buttoned up the front. He felt his forehead begin to sweat when the butler's hooves shoved his fluffy chest under the buttons.

“You’re slouching again,” Sunny mumbled. Blueblood nodded in response before he fixed his posture. “It's a good habit to get into to stand up straight. It'll make ponies enjoy seeing you more if you can smile too. And do not try to get drunk. We don’t want that kind of happy representing the royal family. Who knows, maybe if you're lucky you'll find a nice pony.”

“I don't really...” Blueblood didn’t finish his sentence. He looked down at his hooves before he drug one around in small circles. “Please, I just want this night over with. I'm not looking to make friends tonight."

“Then at least smile. It’ll make your aunt happy.” Sunny said. He pat his hoof on Blueblood's cheek and pulled it back a bit in an attempt to get the prince to smile.

Blueblood tried to put on his best smile. It ached within seconds but he tried to keep it a bit longer. His ear twitched the longer Sunny's ramblings filled his ear.

“Look, if you walk around for a while and just try to look your best maybe you can go talk to Shining Armor for a while,” Sunny chuckled. He must have noticed how Blueblood's eyes had widened for a for a grin spread across his face. “Last time he was able to see you was before he traveled to the Crystal Empire. I’m sure you have a lot to catch up on.”

“Sh-Shining will just be with the guards. I won’t be able to see him. I don’t know if you’ve heard but captains don’t have much time on their hooves to work with. Not even for princes," Blueblood sighed. He wished more than anything right now that his face would stop being so warm. For a moment he recalled Shining Armor's smile and his white fur which he never seemed to be able to keep clean. “He probably hasn’t missed me that much.” Blueblood’s brief warmth he felt at the mention of Shining flickered when that thought came out of his lips.

“A dozen or so letters seem to say otherwise," Sunny said. He snatched the blue bow-tie from off the bed and started to tie it around Blueblood's neck with haste. "You seem to forget Shining Armor is married to a princess now. He gets to take part in all the night’s activities just as you do. Though of course he has the princess by his side.” Sunny said as he paced back and forth slowly in front of Blueblood. “You are to address him as Prince Shining Armor now if you're in public."

"Shining's just going to call me Blue, like always," Blueblood started to argue when Sunny stepped away. He used his hoof to tug at the bow-tie now constricting his neck. "I honestly don't think I could call him that with a straight face."

"Being so formal is just about the one thing ponies in Canterlot seem to like about you over Shining Armor, I might remind you," Sunny narrowed his eyes at Blueblood. "Saving the lives of everybody in the kingdom tends to make you a bit popular and overshadow those around you."

“Shining's always been better at getting ponies to enjoy him than I've ever been,” Blueblood said with a frown on his lips.

“He has always been charming,” Sunny agreed with a nod. He used his magic to tug and straighten Blueblood's bow-tie when he spoke. “It’s no wonder Princess Cadence was drawn to him as she was. Though you look the part more than he ever will.” The butler's lips curled into a smile when he hopped away. He took in the full picture of Blueblood before clapped his hooves. "Excellent!" He cried. "We're just about ready."

“Honestly this whole party seems to always end badly,” Blueblood felt a chill run down his spine. Sunny had walked back and had begun to straighten Blueblood's damp mane with his hoof the best he could “I didn’t look anything like a prince when those pictures of me covered in frosting came out. It was so... disgusting,” He hissed under his breath, his skin crawling as if it were covered in the disgusting sugary ooze once more. “What if everything goes wrong again?”

“Just be perfect tonight and everything will go fine,” Sunny reassured with a pat on Blueblood's chest. Though the prince was looking down at Sunny he couldn't help but feel the smaller one of the two.

“Perfect...” Blueblood trailed off. He looked to the shut curtains and noticed that a breeze from the open balcony had managed to open them just a sliver until a ray of light was shining down between the two of them. “I look perfect right now, right? I mean, if I have to go I might as well not embarrass the family.” The prince’s gaze drifted to Sunny. His stomach was twisting around again. His legs were feeling more like jelly than muscle.

“Your father always said, royalty has to be…”

“Royalty has to be perfect,” Blueblood finished. There was a sigh at the end of his words that he hardly realized he was letting out. He felt tempted to tug at his hair once more. The echos were still there, and he knew very well that ponies from all around were in the castle... inside his home. “Royalty is only as powerful as it makes itself look… I know. I just want this night to be over."

The prince took in a deep breath. Sunny smiled at him and Blueblood attempted to give one back. It hurt.

"Just a few hours," Blueblood mumbled.

“Dear, you truly shouldn’t worry so much.”

The clock struck midnight. Fancy Pants felt his lips twist into a frown at the sight of time. His bright blue eyes locked onto the ticking hand inside of his pocket watch that he had opened with a brief flick of his hoof. He supposed it didn't exactly matter what time it was. He knew from the moment he stepped out of the door that he was very, very late.

The white unicorn snapped the device shut and shoved it into his coat pocket. There was a sigh on his lips when his gaze turned away from the floor board of his carriage and towards Princess Celestia's massive castle. The lights were bright enough to overshadow even the stars in the sky. As he feared, ponies were in fact leaving the Grand Galloping Gala before he had even had the chance to arrive.

“Fancy Pants, being fashionably late is seen as stylish these days,” Fleur de Liss spoke. She was a thin white mare with a bright pink mane. She sat beside him in the carriage and rested a gentle hoof on his tense shoulder. She bore a dazzling red gown with golden highlights that shimmered when she shifted in her seat. “Besides, you are the most important pony in Canterlot. Nothing you could do wouldn’t be popular in a week’s time.”

"Perhaps you're right, Fleur." Fancy sighed with a shake of his head. "I'm overthinking this far too much."

Fancy Pants kicked open the carriage door and jumped out. The muscles in his legs protested against him, but he tried to ignore them. His hooves pressed to the smooth pathway before him that led to the drawbridge of Princess Celestia’s palace. It was only as he saw ponies on their way out by their flying pegasi flown carriages did his heart truly begin to sink. He glanced behind him at their carriage driver when he heard a yawn. The workhorse was covered in sweat.

“I think this is a tad more than “Fashionably late” Fleur,” The Fancy Pants' voice matched his flattened ears. “Honestly I’m usually so much more put together than this.” The stallion lifted a handkerchief with a pull of his cyan colored magic and dabbed it against his forehead. “All that work for nothing though,” His tone grew sickly. He glanced to Fleur's dress before he turned away from it. “Last season's trash is what it is.”

Fancy Pants heard a cough from behind him after he had rambled for a few moments. It had made him jump when he turned back to the mare. He saw her hoof was extended along with her head nodding towards the castle.

“Oh, right,” Fancy said with a blush on his cheeks when he extended his hoof out to the mare. Fleur took the hoof and hopped down from the carriage. He made sure to smooth out her dress as she planted her hooves on the pathway. “I forgot my manners, dear.”

“You seem stressed,” Fleur giggled. Her hoof stroked up against his cheek and held it firmly on his chin to examine his face. “Don’t you worry your handsome head about tonight. You’ll still have time to talk with your friends and pitch your sale lines about my dress to the commoners while I stand aside and look pretty. The dress looks fine.”

“You look fantastic no matter what. It's what I pay you for after all,” Fancy chuckled. He grabbed Fleur’s hoof in his own and brought it to his lips. “You look dazzling as usual. I’m sure we’ll sell out by weeks end. Even if it isn’t exactly my best work... Oh who am I kidding? The color’s too bright for this to even be decent. What in Equestria was I thinking?” He let out a huff. “I’m lucky you can make any piece of trash look acceptable,” His words ended when he dropped Fleur's hoof from his grasp and bit into his cheek. Fleur gave him a hard look that forced him to take a deep breath.

“I know,” The stallion looked down to his hooves. He forced himself to loosen the iron grip his teeth were holding on his cheek. “It’s not healthy to talk like that.”

“Not at all,” Fleur’s said to the stallion only to lean against him. Her hoof stroked down his coat jacket to begin straightening out his bow-tie. “Honestly you shouldn't be so frazzled, you love parties like this. Forget about the dress.”

“Right,” Fancy Pants nodded. He forced a smile on his face as he thought about at least being able to see his friends. “We can still have a good time.”

The stallion quickly reached into his coat pocket. He pulled out a small bag that jingled when he dumped out six golden bits into his hoof. He levitated them over to the carriage driver and gave him a tap on the ear with the money bag. “Go on and have some fun. Get yourself a drink or two, there’s a charming restaurant nearby. We’ll wait for you here.”

“O-Oh… uh… thanks sir!” The stallion jumped when the bits landed in his hoof. A a happy grin spread across his face that he soon tried to hide with his hoof. He swiped the bits from the air before unlatching the harness of the carriage and trotting off happily with little more than a glance back at the two. There was a spring in his step when he walked away.

Fancy put on his best face when he turned back to the path leading to the drawbridge. His smile faltered for a brief moment when he passed at least three ponies with exhausted expressions leaving the castle grounds. The scenery was at least nice. The grass looked freshly cut and the path didn't have a pebble out of place. It reminded him of something he would see in a catalog about homes. The quickly dimming sky give just enough light to see the flowers sway in the darkness as they approached the river. A variety of colors met Fancy Pants' eyes when they drew close. Fancy Pants was getting so distracted by the scenery that he had to be tapped on the shoulder by Fleur when he had nearly walked past the first set of royal guards. He quickly pulled out two bright golden tickets from his pocket.

"Hello there, sir! Here is my invitation," Fancy Pants said in a cheerful tone. The guard snatched the ticket from his hoof as his eyes scanned them carefully.

"You can go in, Mister Fancy Pants," The guard gave a quick bow as he backed away. The drawbridge was long and empty, but most importantly free to cross.

“We might as well greet the princess while we’re here,” Fancy told the mare beside him when his hooves pressed against the wooden bridge. “She always throws a lovely party. Don't you think? The royal wedding last year was just spectacular after that whole mess settled.”

“It is always nice to meet with friends, I agree,” Said Fleur in a quiet tone. Her eyes were focused on the garden around her when they entered the castle grounds. Critters scattered away and into their hiding places when they passed. Perhaps they were afraid of the noise the Gala was giving off. Many ponies were wandering about the area in groups. Ponies of all colors and shapes were wandering around. It was easy to spot the middle class who had gotten in only by connects or sheer luck, for they gazed at the gardens with wide eyes and happy grins.

Fancy Pants quickly left the garden behind him to approach the large doorway to the castle. The vast entrance to the castle opened up in a chamber that seemed larger than life when he walked in. Walls were covered in paintings of roses and political figures long past. The muscles around his lips kept aching quite so much when he smiled. The sounds of laughter and chatter gave his next breath a new sense of life when he glanced over to the mare at his side, who shared his excitement with a soft smile of her own.

“It truly is beautiful in here.” Fancy Pants sighed with a relaxed expression on his face. His eyes gazed at the purple marble floors to the maroon columns that held the next floor above their heads some thirty feet. When he looked up he saw the princess in all her glory waiting next to the entrance to the ball room talking to a white stallion with a bright blue mane. He followed the red carpet before him with a great grin on his face.

"It's just that I haven't seen Blue in so long," The stallion was talking to the princess in a tone that reminded Fancy Pants of a foal asking his mother to go play outside. It was only on closer inspection did the unicorn realize that he was looking at Prince Shining Armor. He was bouncing in place every few moments. The prince appeared a bit uncomfortable with standing in place so long. "He doesn't like going to parties like this where he doesn't know anypony. I just wanna check up on him and see how he's doing."

"You may go," Princess Celestia held a gentle smile on her face when she nodded to the new prince. "Don't dally. I still want you and Princess Cadence to discuss the matters of the Crystal Empire later tonight."

"Thank you, Princess Celestia," Said Shining Armor. The new prince gave an improper looking bow before he turned away. He nodded his head to the older unicorn before he trotted down the stairs at a speed just below a jog. Fancy Pants frowned for just a moment, but approached the princess nonetheless once Shining Armor had escaped out into the garden.

“Hello there Fancy Pants,” Princess Celestia said when she adverted her attention from the royal guard captain. Her face was soft with a smile when she extended her hoof to shake the stallion's own. Fancy Pants took it in his own and pressed it up against his lips. He cloud hear Celestia chuckle. “Delighted to have you with us tonight. Though you are fashionably late, I must say."

“Well my dear princess, I must say it was truly my fault.” Fancy Pants said with a glance to Fleur. He couldn't help but frown when he looked at her dress. “I couldn’t quite get the final finishing touches on the dress to my liking. Then I had to get myself ready and it was truly a big mess from there.”

“It looks beautiful,” Celestia said with a glance to Fleur. “Oh I love the gold. It truly pops out compared to all the dark colors around here.”

“Thank you very much… er, what was Prince Shining Armor on about just now?” The stallion questioned with a tilt of his head to the Princess before he looked at the doorway to the garden where the captain was last seen.

“Shining Armor and Princess Cadence came back from the Crystal Empire late last night, they were meant to talk to me tonight about it after the party cooled down a bit. Shining wanted to go see Prince Blueblood before we began, truth be told I don't think he's enjoyed greeting a hundred ponies tonight,” Celestia said with a giggle in her tone.

“I see,” Fancy Pants said before he gave another polite bow to the princess. “If I see either prince I’ll be glad to buy them a drink to make the night a tad more bearable.”

“Please do,” Celestia lifted her hoof and pointed to the doorway at the bottom of the stairs that led to the ballroom. “Well please do enjoy the party while you can.”

“Thank you, your grace.” Fancy nodded before trotting off. Fleur was quickly on his heels. The stallion could feel his chest rise when he stepped into the ballroom to take in the ponies around him. Many of the guests were in their own groups chatting loudly. Some were laughing as they sipped drinks, others talking quietly in corners, and a few that were quite possibly a little too far gone to be at the party. There was a soft sound of violin the the background when the two walked by the ponies playing music up on a small stage.

“Quite lovely I must say,” The stallion said, pressing a hoof to his chin as he admired his surroundings. The doorways had golden arches and the pathway was a bright red carpet leading up to the center of the room. The windows each had designs of their own on the colored stained glass. He looked down to the floor to see the checkerboard pattern under his hooves. He attempted to take a step further but a tug on the end of his tail caused his fur to stand up on it’s end and force a sound he wouldn't have made under any kind of normal circumstances out of his mouth. The unicorn stopped flat in his tracks as he looked around to see a giggling earth pony with a large white mane and purple sunglasses.

"Hoity Toity?" Fancy Pants raised his eyebrow at the swaying earth pony.

“Hey there Fancy boy, where on earth have you been all night?” The gray stallion spoke with excitement in his tone. He lowered his sunglasses to look at Fancy Pants more clearly. His pupils were clearly dilated. He wrapped his legs around Fancy Pants briefly and gave him a pat on the back. The drunken stallion soon moved over to Fluer and gave her a brief peck on the cheek. Fleur smiled politely despite the fact her nose wrinkled at the scent of alcohol on Hoity's breath.

“Hoity, honestly,” Fancy shook his head. "How do you function at bars without us? I do hope you hired a decent carriage driver.”

“The night is still young Fancy! Why don’t you grab a drink of your own?” Hoity Toity said with an excited tone of voice. He was swaying a bit when he snatched up a wine glass from a passing waiter carrying around a dish. "You're such a lightweight you can get on my level in five minutes if you try!"

“I believe I’ll pass for now,” Fancy rolled his eyes at Hoity Toity. “Though I encourage you to make a fool of yourself. I’m sure Photo Finish will have many photos of you hitting on all the pretty guards if I track her down.”

“Hush hush hush!” Hoity Toity snapped and waved a hoof in front of Fancy's face. Fleur giggled at the earth pony's burning red cheeks. “I don’t talk to stallions with that intention at parties like this, you idiot! It’s strictly business and time to spend with friends... But I may have had to entertain myself because you two are the only ones here who don't bore me to tears."

“Did you hit on the guards only, or was it the Wonderbolts this time?” The pink mare smiled at him. "Or both?"

“I said hush!” Hoity snapped. His cheeks started to glow from more than the alcohol in his system. “Honestly am I not allowed to drink just for the sake of drinking? You two shut your traps and come sit with me so I don't look nearly as lonely and pathetic as I have been all night. It's been two hours!"

“Yes yes I know,” Fancy laughed when Hoity Toity grabbed at his hoof and tugged him along. “We truly do want to talk to you, I just wanted the dress to look good for tonight.”

"Can we please not talk about sales tonight?" Hoity Toity groaned. Despite his words he did begin to inspect Fluer's dress. His eyes narrowed into a confused expression. "Is it just because I'm drunk... or is that dress the same one Fleur wore last year? Or was it two years ago?"

Fancy Pants could feel the muscles in his neck tighten when Hoity spoke. He kept a careful eye on Hoity Toity's reactions. He raked his hoof down his mane and felt his lips sink into a frown. He could feel the two staring at him before he cleared his throat with a cough. His mustache tickled his hoof when he brought it to his lips. He could feel himself begin to sweat as he struggled to think of an answer.

“I believe that the time I introduced this at the Gala there was… er…” He trailed off with a mild blush on his cheeks. “A little disaster you could say… I’m sure I don’t need to bring up the finer details. It didn’t get any coverage and seasons change before it caught on,” He glanced to Fleur’s shimmering red dress. It truly was eye-catching. “It’s nice to revisit our roots from time to time… yesterday’s fashion can be tomorrow’s success.”

Hoity Toity rolled his eyes. “So you've run out of steam for once, huh? You can fool the stupid ponies who follow you like a god, but not me."

“I… I uh... Hey, I think I'll take you up on that drink offer after all,” Fancy said with a smile that he felt was hard to keep for once. "Fleur, do you mind terribly just trying to get some of the ponies to look at you while I'm gone? If they ask about the dress just tell them all the little details."

"Of course," Fleur nodded her head and pat her hoof on Fancy Pants' cutie mark. "Go loosen up a bit. The party will be more fun when you do."

"Quit talking and drink with me!" Hoity Toity's voice was approaching the sound of a whine a small foal would give. He pointed to the direction of the bar in the back corner. Fancy Pants shrugged his shoulders at Fleur and was soon pulled away by the impatient earth pony.

"You're awfully pushy tonight," Fancy Pants mumbled. "Normally you at least attempt to look like you have class."

"You're awfully late tonight," Hoity snapped back with a glare at Fancy Pants. “You're lucky I'm still going to pay for your drinks. I won't even make fun of you for your feminine fruit punch drinks since you can't stand hard liquor, that's how good of a friend I am."

“Th-Thank you, Hoity.” Fancy said. He attempted to put the comments about the dress in the back of his mind. Maybe a drink would settle his thoughts after all.

Blueblood could feel his smile ache the longer he was submerged in the crowd of ponies. He could spot eyes gazing in his direction from across the ballroom, many polite enough to bow briefly, though none interested enough for small talk. His smile faltered for a brief moment, a sigh escaping his lips. He let himself sink into that moment, the seconds seeming to tick off in his mind like the hands of a clock.

There were many faces that the prince knew in the crowd tonight, important ponies, ponies from fashion, entertainers, and the select few lucky enough to have their families riches fall upon them. He was thankful that few paid much mind to him, for his mind was constantly else where as he made his way around the ballroom for what must have been the second dozen time that month.

The prince walked boldly, chest puffed out as he lifted his chin. It was a peaceful Gala so far, very rarely did an event like this spiral out of control like it had two years prior. Many ponies were locked in heated discussions with their small groups, a few stay ponies running to grab drinks before heading back to the safety of their friends.

Faces of the ponies started to blur. Very few of the guests came out to shake his hoof, though their touch usually ruffled up the fur on his leg. He didn’t recall any names, faces, or half the time even genders they had gotten out so quickly. Seconds ticked by like hours, each one moving slower and slower than the last.

Blueblood pulled at his bow tie by the time a seventh pony had shaken his hoof. He locked his eyes on the rose garden outside the window that ran along the castle. After a brief few moments of debating, he decided to make his way in the direction of the doorway that led out to the harden. It only took a single step before he felt a rather rough tug on the end of his long blonde tail that made him jump. It was as if he was being pulled back into that crowd against his will, his cheeks flaring up in a red flush.

“Why you simpleton,” The stallion growled when he faced the direction that his tail was pulled from. “Do you have any idea how rude it is to grab a stallion's ta-” His words cut off when he bit down on his tongue. The white unicorn before him dressed in a red vest with golden highlights smiled at him. The pony’s blue mane looked messy, impossible that it had been brushed, yet Blueblood felt his heart give a single loud beat.

“Glad to know you missed me, Blue.” Shining Armor laughed at his friend. For just a moment Blueblood felt his smile grow genuine. He took a step forward before it shrank into a frown, his ear giving off a flick when he realized just how many ponies were looking at him after his little outburst.

“Prince Sh-Shining… I didn’t know you…” The prince wasn’t able to finish his stuttering words. “It’s good to see you.” He said as he reached out his hoof to Shining Armor, chuckling quietly. Shining looked at it briefly with a puzzled expression. He rolled his eyes as Blueblood suddenly felt himself be wrapped in the forelegs of his firend, his cheeks still pink as he felt Shining's breath on his face. He wondered if Shining could feel his heart pound.

“Luna, please don’t get formal with me.” Shining Armor groaned in Blueblood’s ear. “I feel like I have to greet my own wife with a hoofshake, don't you dare start on me too. How the hell have you acted like this your whole life? I'm not even allowed to eat food bad for me in public.”

Blueblood shrugged, his eyes distracted by the crowd's eyes beginning to stare at the two. “Shining can we…?”

“Sure sure sure,” Shining nodded as he let his hooves drop from Blueblood. He nodded in the direction of the garden, Blueblood following him closely as they walked through the crowd and out the door. They were close to the same height, yet Shining somehow still looked taller than him. "Sorry, I'm just so excited to see you again, Blue. I know you hate crowds like that. Celestia, last year must have been awful for you without me or Cadence here, I'm sorry. "

“You look… Handsome,” Blueblood said. He wasn't exactly sure why the words came up, but looking at Shining Armor made his belly twist, and it was the only thing to come to his mind. It wasn’t a lie at least, the suit truly seemed made for Shining Armor. Such a bright bold color compared to the grey and black that draped over the stallions and mares tonight. “Honestly most of the stallions here try for hours and don’t look anything decent.”

“The guys made fun of me in the break room when I stopped by,” Shining laughed as the two of them began to walk in the direction of the rose garden. “They said I looked like a real Prince,”

Shining Armor shook his head, though his eyes suddenly looked over to the prince. "Speaking of which, what's with that 'Prince Shining' thing? C'mon Blue, don't get weird on me. I feel bad enough that me and Cadence were too tired last night to go visit you."

"It just sort of slipped out," Blueblood shrugged his shoulders in response. He tried not to look at Shining Armor too much, his eyes locked onto the rose bushes. "I didn't know if you wanted to see me tonight or not, I mean it's a big party and you are expected to entertain a little as the new prince."

"Of course I wanted to see you, Blue," Shining said, his eyes boring into Blueblood's skin like needles. "I'd rather see one snooty stuck up rich pony I like than a dozen snooty stuck up rick ponies I don't know."

"Your words flatter me."

The two passed few who were admiring the garden, or at least what wasn’t fenced off for the guests to venture into. Not many seemed to want to bother with the two princes at the very least. Most of the ponies seemed to be admiring the garden more than anything.

“I say it’s true, you fit the part,” Blueblood chuckled as he reached out his hoof to Shining Armor's chest. He briefly fiddled with the crest on the front of Shining’s suit. “You wore this to the wedding… you couldn’t keep this straight then either. Cadence must have adjusted it a million times after things settled down."

“Geez, you really are my wife,” Shining laughed as he ruffled his own mane, a blush appearing on his face. “First time I’ve been grateful for the Gala though. I think Cadence is happy for an excuse to see Celestia and Luna again, she had to leave a lot behind to protect the Crystal Empire… I'm glad she looks so happy.”

"I'm sure Cadence is..." He trailed off, unsure of how to finish that sentence, so he bit down on his cheek. He glanced up but found only the leaves that rustled above him in the branches above. “I... haven't written in a while,” The prince sighed, his smile failing to reach his eyes. “I've been busy with a lot. A whole new set of guards to complain how spoiled I am.”

“That’s what the guards watching the spoiled prince expect,” Shining said. He scratched as his mane, Blueblood spotting how his smile faltered for a brief moment. The new prince stopped his walk near a set of rose bushes. Not many ponies were out this far from the gala, the sounds of small critters nearby that hissed and chirped at the commotion around the palace.

“Ponies love to give titles, don't they?” Blueblood sat down on the ground. He started to run both hooves over each other, folding and squeezing them together. He soon realized his tightened belly had begun to make his chest hurt. “You’d think they would let some names die after you grow older."

“Blue, I wrote a lot,” Shining spoke as he looked away from his friend and into the trees. The captain tried to pull the conversation right back to the previous one. “It’s been a lot of work helping these ponies get back on their hooves. I feel like me and Cadence are finally starting to make progress, they’re starting to respect us out of compassion and not fear, but I don't want you to think that that means I don't have time for you... but you never even wrote back once.” Shining was speaking in a quiet voice. The unicorn turned around and grabbed one of Blueblood's hooves.

“You seem to like your new role. You’re awfully good at it.” Blueblood tried his best to focus on something else in his words other than what was making his heart sink so drastically.

“Blue, c'mon, don't dodge the subject like that,” Shining groaned. "Cadence has been worried too."

The prince felt his heart sink the moment the touch of Shining Armor made it rise. The mention of Cadence made his ears droop briefly, unable to make eye contact with the other. That’s right, Cadence was in the picture right beside Shining. He could remember the three of them together. Cadence used to sneak Blueblood out of the castle and buy him the most horrible food that he craved. He couldn't recall a thing wrong that she had ever done to him intentionally… Why did her name always make his heart drop?

“Blue, really, I don't want you to feel like I'm... y'know trying to get up on your case here,” Shining seemed to finish whatever Blueblood zoned out of. “Look, me and Cadence are gonna be staying here for a while. The Princess wants to go over a lot of things political. I had to beg celestia to come out and find you tonight though. We should do something, just the three of us like we used too. I don't want you to explain why you won't write or... I just want want things to be normal again.”

“Shining, I never...” Blueblood was unable to look the captain in the eye. Shining Armor's hooves tightened around his own.

"Don't freak out, okay?" Shining tried to make his voice as calm as possible when he dropped his hooves back to the ground. "Let's just talk about this someplace later where it feels like I'm not interrogating you. I just want to start up what it was like before we left... Now's a really bad time to be dumping all of this, I have to go talk to Celestia really soon."

Shining Armor's eyes gazed over to the direction of the rose bush behind Blueblood. The new prince's horn glowed when he ripped one from the bush, snapping off the thorny stem and putting it over Blueblood's dress shirt.

"Do you still like roses?"

“Roses are pleasant,” Blueblood nodded his head. “You go ahead, I'll be fine here. We can... talk later, okay?"

Shining gave a brief mock salute with a bow. “Yes, Prince Blueblood, we'll talk later... And stop giving me that look, I said I'm not mad.”

"What look?" Blueblood glared at Shining.

"The look that you get when ponies get angry at you." Shining laughed, but his eyes felt honest to the prince. "Anyway, I'll see you later, Blue." He said, hopping up straight and onto his friend and giving him another hug, much briefer and looser than the last, though for some reason Blueblood still found it hard to breathe when Shining’s scent hit his nose. He tried to hug back, but his hooves struggled to find a place on the unicorn. Before he knew it, the moment had passed, and Shining was already off of him.

“See you later, Blue.” Shining said in a cheery voice before he trotted off.

"Shining wait, I..." Blueblood reached out his hoof. His voice was quiet, so quiet that Shining Armor seemed to not have heard him, for he kept trotting away.

"I missed you."

Blueblood began to feel a brief snag on his collar from behind followed by the sound of a tear when he leaned his body forward, a thorn from the rose bush digging into his back. The tear was sudden, nothing to prevent the damage he knew he has caused. His eyes shot down to the tear. He blinked, but it was still there.

“That’s just...” Blueblood mumbled, eyes staring at the fabric He could feel something inside him clench as he pressed his trembling hoof to the spot, a small droplet of blood staining his snow colored fur.

The prince sighed as he quickly took off his shirt, looking around to make sure nopony was watching, and held it in his hooves briefly. He examined the tear, it was about one inch long and very, very noticeable. His heart sunk further. He closed his eyes for a single moment, wishing more than anything Shining had stayed for a moment longer.

Blueblood took a deep breath, focusing the magic in his horn on the tear before him. He watched the threads begin to close together, slowly and surely beginning to shrink the tear before he felt a sudden throb in his head. His body gave an involuntary flinch, his eyes cracking open to the tear only increasing in side. He bit down hard on his cheek once more.

Prince Blueblood pressed his hoof to his horn, a frown appearing on his face. A gentle throb from his forehead made him flinch, but not before a nervous whimper escaped from his throat as he realized many cuts had appeared in the dress shirt.

"Not now!" He found himself whispering, panic seeping into his voice.

This certainly wasn’t very becoming of a young prince.

Fancy Pants rested his head on his folded forelegs, which he propped up on the table. The unicorn was swishing around a glass before him using his magic. A whiny escaped from his lips when he glanced to Fancy Pants, his own head feeling a tad light. Hoity Toity's cheeks were pink, and he had to hold his glass in both hooves to keep it from spilling.

“You’ve been asking for something a little stronger than wine, haven't you?” Fancy Pants asked with a flick of his tail at the other’s side.

“Only a little, only a little!” Hoity said as he batted away Fancy's tail. The earth pony's eyes peered around the room for a bit. “Quite a lot of dresses that aren’t on the market tonight. My my my the Gala really has become a commercial for us fashion ponies hasn’t it?

“None of the models look as good as mine at least… Fleur really is incredible at her job, don’t you agree?’ Fancy questioned the drunken stallion. Hoity replied with a shrug before lifting his hoof to get the bartender's attention.

“Fleur is very pretty, thankfully her feminine ways are not prone to work on me,” Hoity said with a chuckle. The bartender snatched up his glass and began to refill it before his eyes. “I understand the game we play, I just don’t understand how those ponies fall for it every time.”

“Mares want to look beautiful like she does,” Fancy gave his back a brief stretch as he gazed into the crowd to spot Fleur, talking to a waitress with a glass of wine in her magical grasp. “Stallions want their mares to look just as beautiful. It’s a vicious cycle really but it's fashion.”

“Speaking of fashion,” Hoity leaned over to the other and whispered in his ear. His breath was hot and scented of alcohol. “I was right, you devil, that dress is near identical to the one you had last year.”

Fancy could feel the muscles in his legs tighten. Somehow he managed to keep his face calm and collected in the moment, pushing his hoof up against other’s face. “I think you maybe had a little too much to drink, you're talking nonsense.”

“No no I remember! Rose red truly stands out in a place like this,” Hoity said as he jabbed the end of his pointy hoof into the other’s dress shirt “The golden highlights are a nice touch though. Certainly something I wouldn't think of.”

“I’m telling you, Hoity, you are indeed drinking too much.” Fancy spoke with a hint of annoying jabbing itself into his words. He took a quick sip of his drink to distract from his friend's gaze. Hoity Toity lowering his sunglasses with his hoof to reveal his dark blue eyes to Fancy.

“I’ve noticed your production has been slowed down recently,” Hoity said as he reached over his hoof, placing it on top of the other’s. Fancy looked away and bit at his tongue to keep silent. The unicorn began to focus his ears on the gentle strum of a violin in the background. “Fancy Pants, you're one of the few stallions in this business who isn't a complete dunce, I want you to talk to me.”

Fancy Pants didn't answer, he instead reached into his pocket and pulled out his watch. It was getting late. He quickly shoved the watch back into his pocket and finished off his drink in a few sips. It tasted bitter going down his throat.

“I believe the alcohol is getting to my head at last,” Fancy stated firmly as he looked to Hoity Toity. “I’m going to go take a brief walk.”

“Suit yourself," Hoity answered with a shrug as he took a sip of his drink. Hoity began running his eyes around the room before pointing to a large royal guard in the corner. “I’m going to go talk to that big guy over there. Maybe he'll talk to me about feelings or some mushy stuff while I take off all his armor. He's been staring at stallions all night.'

“You… actually watched him do that?” Fancy questioned in mild disbelief. "Even as out of it as you are?"

“I always make time for the cute ones, darling,” Hoity said, hopping down from the stool and straightening his pose. The stallion waddled off, perhaps using a little too much concentration to walk like he wasn't drunker than half the ponies in the ball room.

Fancy Pants slapped a few bits on the table before he walked off and away from the bar. He made a line for the garden outside and opened the door with a quick push. The wind whipped up against his face and he began to button up his jacket. His hooves pressed down against the soft grass when he took his first breath of fresh air. He glanced to the purple star filled sky, Princess Luna’s moon shining brightly.

He tried to put Hoity Toity's comments in the back of his mind when he walked. The scent of flowers drifted to his nose when he moved along the rose bushes, the violin was sweet and calm, yet nothing kept his mind from falling right back into the middle of that awful conversation. He let out a groan that he would not have dared let out if the castle was livelier. He stamped his hoof into the ground.

It wasn’t long before Fancy Pants had gone a full five minutes without seeing another pony as he traveled along the side of the castle wall, the large glass windows stained in colors of pink and purple. It made it difficult to see the party life going on within the castle. The critters and birds making their songs in the night. He let himself zone out momentarily, to let the nighttime consume his mind.

Fancy turned a corner swiftly. In his mind he planned to loop around soon and head back to his little circle. Yet his hooves kicked up against something soft. His mind was ripped from his twisting thoughts only to struggle not to fall over on top of the pony he had indeed kicked. He only managed to avoid toppling over by hopping to the right, a sight that must have looked quite funny.

“Goodness gracious," He backed off quickly, nearly tripping over his own hooves as he nervously adjusted his monocle. “M-My apologies, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was…”

“For Luna’s sake!” The stallion on the ground snapped at him as he jumped to his hooves. His body was bare was the first thing that caught Fancy Pant’s eye, far too casual for a gathering quite like this. When he caught first glimpse of the other's face, he could feel his mind draw a blank.

“P-Prince Blueblood, forgive me my prince, I apologize for not watching where I was going.” Fancy tried his best to explain, his words spilling out quickly.

“Do I look like I care about what you were thinking of?” The prince snapped at him. Fancy felt himself flinch at the harsh words. He wanted to step away and turn tail, but he couldn't help but think that the last thing he needed right now was for the prince to go and say how some stallion kicked him. “Honestly just GO!” He ordered the other. “Do I need to get my aunt? Get out!”

“B-But Prince Blueblood, I just… forgive me.” Fancy lifted his head as he glanced to the piece of torn fabric in the other’s hoof. It looked like it was a dress shirt, or at least would have been if it wasn't for the dozen tears. Their eyes met for a brief moment before Blueblood quickly hid the cloth behind his back. The prince's eyes were slightly red, hooves trembling as they gripped onto the cloth.

“Did something happen to your outfit?”

While he wasn't sure if it was strange to take notice, Fancy Pants knew for certain it was strange to bring it up. Blueblood's eyes lifted up to his, and for a brief moment the prince's guard had dropped. But only for a moment.

“That is none of your concern.” Prince Blueblood snapped at him. The prince's body was trembling, still hiding the shirt.

Fancy frowned as he reached out his hoof hesitantly, grabbing the cloth slowly from behind Blueblood's back. He expected the prince to put up a bit more of a fight, however when he removed it the prince’s grip was weak. He watched the other sit down, a sniffle coming from his nose.

“Please just go away… leave me be.”

Fancy ignored the prince as his eyes scanned the shirt. How mistreated it looked indeed, far more than a simple tear. There were several cuts and slashes that looked as though it had been ripped apart with a knife. Blueblood was still looking away from him, seemingly determined to keep his mouth shut and wait out the moment.

“I could look at it. If you want, that is,” Fancy said softly to the other. The prince didn’t answer, but he didn’t seem to put up much resistance either as Fancy Pants sunk to the ground and examined the dress shirt. "I'll take that as an okay."

“It’s a simple mending spell," Blueblood's silence finally broke. Fancy Pants looked up when the prince said. He watched Blueblood grip both of his arms as he hugged his own body. “Mending spells are easy, all you do is imagine all the little threads realigning back together… it should be easy,” Blueblood grumbled under his breath to himself, the muscles in his hoof pinching his arm. “B-But It… it kept tearing when I tried and then it just kept getting worse and worse…”

“It isn’t... too hard to accidentally do the opposite, I suppose,” Fancy lied. He decided it best to avoid pushing Blueblood. He turned the cloth over in his hooves for a few moments. "What pray tell is Celestia's great nephew doing outside panicking over a small wardrobe malfunction?"

Blueblood didn't answer him, but he did finally release himself when he looked off at the rose bushes. The silence of the night was broken only by the party in the distance. "Everypony will talk if they see me look so ragged... it was awful enough when that fiend covered me in cake and frosting and it ended up on the front cover... disgusting... I don't want another repeat of that."

"I think there's a small difference between covered in frosting and not wearing an outfit." Fancy chuckled as he threw the other a smile.

Blueblood didn't respond to that, and instead changed the topic. "Shining would laugh at me like you did... he laughed when I showed him the picture of me in frosting." The other started speaking to himself. Fancy Pants glanced to him but didn’t comment. “You’re Fancy Pants.” Blueblood mumbled quietly. It wasn’t a question, but a statement. Fancy nodded his head in response anyway. “You own… the largest fashion cooperation in Equestria… I trust you wouldn’t want to let that you saw me like this get out…”

"What would I gain from teasing a young prince publicly?" Fancy frowned. Blueblood's eyes seemed hard at first, but they soon broke back into that saddened state he was in before. He nodded and put on a small smile, deciding to change the subject. "I'm not surprised you recognized me... I suppose it's likewise for you. Honestly it’s a big corporation, I’m horrible at managing and finance and things like that, I mostly just create dresses.”

"Mmm." Blueblood was frowning, his eyes still locked onto the dress shirt.

“This Gala must be important to you,” Fancy said as he rolled the clothing around in his hooves. “I don’t normally see stallions tear their clothing to shreds over it. Hair maybe, but not clothing."

“It’s…” Blueblood’s words stopped short to take in a deep breath, beginning to fold his hooves together. “I’m supposed to be perfect tonight… It's one of the few nights of the year where I even have to do anything and I just screwed it up like two years ago,” The prince grumbled under his breath. “Honestly I look like common trash. Sunny spent all that time on me just for me to tear everything up and… what am I to do? I look like a ruffian, or a homeless bum, I'm not sure which is worse. I spent all day being groomed for this and I... I just..."

“Shh, dear it’s quite okay. You're the most handsome ruffian I've ever met, if it's any consolation,” The older laughed as he pressed his hoof briefly to Blueblood’s lips to quiet him. The other shrugged off the touch, pressing his own hoof to his lips. Fancy noticed the gentle blush coming to Blueblood's snowy cheeks. "I don't think you look like either of those things, Prince Blueblood, honest." Fancy Pants' words were soft. Perhaps it was the reason Blueblood's guard had lowered for a brief moment to stare back at him. "In fact you look lovely, albeit a little rough sitting here on the ground."

It was unexpected, but the other gave him a smile after that. It seemed weak, almost pained, but it wasn't by any means forced. Fancy returned the gesture before turning his attention to the fabric. He tried his best to clear his head, which was beginning to feel light, and focus on closing each of the little holes. However the sides began connecting to the wrong ends, the shirt looking like a sewing machine nightmare after but a few seconds.

"Oh my, that does pose a problem. I have quite a skilled horn in cloth weaving most of the time," Fancy let a whinny past his lips as he pulled at the cloth. "I apologize, Prince Blueblood, I fear I've had one or two more drinks than needed tonight.'

“It’s not your fault.” Blueblood stated, his words quick to Fancy Pants' defense. "I know you're talented, I've seen plenty of your work."

"i... Thank you." Fancy didn't expect the other to hand out such kind words.

“I can’t get to my room without walking through there. What kind of prince just strolls naked through a ballroom during such a big event? Honestly the headlines… first the cake incident now this,” His ramblings seemed to be much less focused on talking to Fancy Pants and more speaking his feelings aloud at this point. “Half that room is going to laugh at me... Shining too."

“You must think highly of Shining Armor. That’s the second time you mentioned him.” Fancy Pants commented only to watch Blueblood glance away.

"I didn't realize..." Blueblood looked away.

“I'm sorry, Prince Blueblood," Fancy shook his head. "Too much small talk from a drunken old man, I know."

"At least you're kind," Blueblood somehow managed to chuckle this time. "I've been taught to entertain guests my whole life, be it with knowledge or small talk. I guess a few tears and some pointless cloth can really make you forget your manners."

"We've all been there," Fancy Pants grinned. "I once flirted with my boss quite a few years back when I got drunk. The only problem was he flirted was married and I didn't find that out until much later that evening when she confronted me."

"I didn't think you would get drunk at a party so easily," Blueblood wiped at his eyes with his leg. Though his eyes were red, a small tick of life was present. "You seem too important to let yourself go like that."

"I'm actually quite a lightweight." Fancy Pants pulled at the cloth with both hooves. "I've only had a few drinks tonight and I'm a little tipsy right now. Now that I've cleared my head a bit, it might now have been such a good idea to let my friend go flirt with guards at such a big party like this."

"I wish you weren't so tipsy," Blueblood sniffled once more, his lips forming a frown when his eyes caught the cloth.

“I must say my mending abilities haven’t been itself lately.” Fancy Pants ran his hoof through his mane as he looked up to the sky. The moon sure did give the castle some much needed light on a night like tonight. The unicorn looked to the prince, his head drooped as he seemed to hug himself with one hoof wrapped around his body.

“Honestly I'm at quite a loss right now,” The young prince sighed in a tone that sounded similar to if he were ordering one of his guards around. “You weren't very useful, if I'm being blunt.”

“Tell you what,” Fancy got to his hooves when he spoke. He reached out his hoof to Blueblood. “Here, stand up. You can go to the party in just a moment.”

“E-Excuse me?’ Blueblood questioned the other, his hoof hitting against the ground. “I'm not going anywhere where all those ponies can mock me.”

“Just trust me, Prince Blueblood.” Fancy asked Blueblood with a firm look into his eyes. “Please, your highness."

Blueblood was hesitant at first, but eventually he managed to reach out his hoof and let Fancy pull him up. Fancy Pants turned away, pulling his long coat off with a bit of help from his magic before he went straight to unbuttoning his dress shirt.

“W-What in Celestia’s name are you doing?” Blueblood questioned.

“Calm down," Fancy rolled his eyes. "You look about my size? I think I’m a little chubbier than you, comes with age I guess… And a lot of cake.” Fancy Pants chuckled as he motioned the other to turn around. With a brief moment of hesitation Blueblood complied, fancy draping the vest over his back and helping him in one off at a time. It looked a tad baggy on the prince. In fact he put the overcoat over the vest he had to roll up the sleeves to keep them from getting dirty on the floor.

“What’s that awful smell?” Blueblood asked, only to be greeted with a laugh from Fancy Pants that brought a blush to his face.

“That would be my cologne… don’t worry you get used to it. Luna, you might even like it.” Fancy Pants promised as he pat on Blueblood's body. "It's rather pleasant once you warm up to it. I've had several mares and stallions comment on it when they got... let's say up close."

“Why are you doing this?” Blueblood asked, his tone much less fierce than before. “You want something, don't you?"

“No… I don’t want anything. Not everypony wants something in return for being nice” Fancy shook his head at Blueblood. "Keep it."

"But I..." Blueblood tried to argue, but Fancy Pants planted his hoof over his mouth once more. The prince slapped it away, though not with even half of his strength.

Fancy pants picked up the blue bot tie off the ground where the prince had been sitting. He tied it hastily around Blueblood's neck with a bit of magic. “Truth be told blue suits you much better than purple. At least you didn’t tear this thing to shreds as well."

Blueblood didn’t respond, he simply ran his hooves over the clothing on his fur. He ran his hoof along the grass in small circles while he examined himself. “Do I look okay?”

“You look dashing,” Fancy Pants stated, feeling himself smile when Blueblood’s eyes lit up. He didn’t expect that reaction, but for some reason it made his chest puff up “You looked handsome before I came. But it does hurt to see such a pretty stallion cry over spilled milk.”

“B-Before… right.” Blueblood’s eyes dimmed again for a brief moment as he shook his head almost to himself. He tugged at the collar of the coat and looked to Fancy Pants. When he held his head high and legs straight he was still a good three inches shorter than Fancy Pants. “Where do I return this to?”

“Think of it as a gift,” Fancy Pants said as he quickly put his bow tie around his neck hastily. "I can safely say my own clothing has been worn by royalty now, if anything."

“You look awful." Blueblood said, for the first time a hint of guilt seeping into his words. “Not awful but… poorly put together I’d say… nothing more than a commoner at a glance. Some ponies spend so much to get here that they can't even afford a decent outfit."

“Nobody cares what I dress like. I’m the most important pony in Equestria.” Fancy Pants said with his head held high. “I didn’t expect to meet one of the princes tonight however. Even Princess Cadence doesn't seem that social in parties."

“I… don’t like talking to ponies at events like this.” Blueblood confessed as he took a step in the direction of the rose bush. “A lot of the time they only try to like me for my status.”

Fancy Pants shrugged before he quickly picked up a rose from the bush with a snatch of his magic. He twirled it around in front of his face for a few moments before trotting in front of the Prince, pinning it to his new jacket.

“A rose really is a good highlight for you,” The stallion chuckled as he adjusted his monocle with his. “Now you look even better. Thank you Prince Blueblood, this really managed to clear my head. I do believe my friends are expecting me… would you like to join us?”

“I uh,” The Prince’s eyes seemed to be shot with a bolt of fear at that suggestion. He looked down to his hooves and shook his head quickly. “I don’t like being in groups at places like this… I apologize.”

Fancy Pants tried not to frown when he nodded, still keeping his smile. “Another time then. I hope you have a wonderful night my prince.”

“W-Wait!” Blueblood called suddenly when the other started to leave. Fancy Pants turned around with a raised brow as he watched Blueblood grip his hoof into the grass. “T-Thank you… very much Fancy Pants, I will return it to you safely. A prince is one to keep his promise.”

Fancy Pants smiled, giving a slight mock bow before turning away once more

“You’re very welcome, Prince Blueblood.”

And with that the blue maned unicorn took his leave of the strange prince, thinking of the party ahead of him with a little less weight on his shoulders.

Weeding

Fancy Pants brought the end of the cigarette to his lips, shutting his eyes when the taste hit his tongue. He inhaled the smoke while he leaned over the balcony railing as he gave a flick to the end of his cigarette into the wastebin beside him. He brought his hoof up to his lips before he coughed into it while he shook his head, the white marble floor under his hooves while he stared out to the city of Canterlot from the second story window. Many ponies bustled in the streets and made plenty of noise, a stark contrast to the quiet hallways located behind him.

“Sorry to make you wait, dear,” Fancy called behind him before he turned his head to the white prince. Blueblood was in a long black dress coat that fit his body snugly. “I’m afraid I’d get a tad cranky if I didn’t get one out. I’d hate for you to see me so vile.”

“It’s quite alright. My father used to smoke cigars.” The prince responded to Fancy Pants. His face held a mild look of discomfort when the scent hit his lungs. “Him and every diplomat in Equestria, it seems. I never got used to the scent, but I did adjust well to putting up with it.”

“I’m not quite ready to speed my death up that much.” Fancy Pants laughed before he buried the last of the stick into the waste bin, adjusting his tie with a pull of his magic. “Dreadful habit this is. Don’t let this old man be an influence on you.”

“A lot of ponies agree it’s truly dreadful as well. I don’t believe the public needs more of a reason to dislike me.” Blueblood gave the stallion a half smile before he shrugged his shoulders.

Fancy turned to him. His hooves tapped on the marble while he entered the nearly empty hallway, and he looked up to a set of paintings behind the stallion. The artwork all had a set of rope in front of them a good three feet away, the artwork in this specific room not very noteworthy, as it was only the entrance hallway to the museum.

The older stallion turned his head down the hallway. He spotted a pair of grey unicorns covered in the golden armor of royal guards throw them a glimpse. The two stood far enough away that Fancy Pants and Blueblood could have a private conversation, yet close enough that it was clear the guards were following them.

“I apologize about them.” Blueblood’s voice was a tad sheepish. The prince’s eyes dodged Fancy’s when the older looked back to him. “It’s common for the royal guards to watch over royalty. Sunny doesn’t like the idea of me spending time with a stranger so far away from any kind of protection, even if they are well known.”

“It’s quite alright.” Fancy chuckled before he lifted his hoof to the prince’s chin in order to bring the prince’s eyes back to his own. “I understand how the royal family works. If it bothered me I wouldn’t be here with you. You can stop apologizing about them.”

“T-Thank you,” Blueblood’s voice still contained that sheepish tone as he brushed back his mane with the back of his hoof. “But you aren’t exactly a stranger to me by now, much less to the public.”

“We didn’t have to come to this museum,” Fancy Pants told his friend, lips forming a slight frown. “The guards don’t follow you around outside the castle, at least not these past few weeks.”

“They’re already everywhere around the castle, they don’t exactly need to escort me around my own home for Celestia’s sake.” Blueblood forced a chuckle, though his lips quickly turned to a frown as if it tasted something bitter on his lips. “I thought it might be a touch selfish of me if I kept asking us to just stay put. It’s just guards high-tailing me brings a lot of attention I’d rather not get. I don’t enjoy having to put myself together perfectly just to leave the castle. Besides, I’d rather not...”

Blueblood turned his eyes away from the unicorn once more as his words trailed off. Fancy took a moment to examine his outfit closely. His coat was black with small white lines long enough to reach the end of his hooves. It looked new, no wrinkles or sign of it worn too often.

“You look lovely today.” Fancy Pants commented as Blueblood’s eyes looked to him with mild confusion.

“Excuse me?”

“You don’t normally dress up like this when I see you at the castle. You throw on a tie and rose, sure, but you rarely look quite this dashing when I see you.” Fancy spoke to the prince. He watched a mild shade of pink appear on Blueblood’s cheeks.

“Uh… I uh...” Blueblood spoke before he lifted his hoof to the dress shirt under his coat, squeezing it in his grasp as if he meant to adjust it. “You’re just teasing me, aren’t you?”

“A bit,” Fancy admitted, a sly grin on his face as he snatched up Blueblood’s hoof in his own to give it a squeeze. “Though I’m not lying. I’m sure anypony who looks at you will be jealous that you’re spending the day with me instead of them. And if the guards bother you so much, just look at the art. Or me. Both are hard to look away from I suppose.”

Blueblood didn’t say anything to that, though his blush did darken and his lips did form a bit of a smile. Fancy gave his hoof a tug and a small squeeze before he released him, pulling him down the hallway.

“I apologize if this place isn’t to your liking. I mean it doesn’t have that many ponies walking around,” Blueblood spoke up while the two kept walking. “I know you like it when you’re surrounded by others.”

“Oh, that’s not entirely true,” Fancy Pants adjusted his monocle as they walked before he began glancing at the artwork. “I just happen to enjoy where my friends are located. Most of them enjoy the party life more than I do. I’m convinced Hoity Toity still thinks he’s in his early twenties with the kind of boys he tries to pick up. I wouldn’t want to force you out of your comfort level - enjoying my friends is a bit difficult if they’re uncomfortable.”

“It seemed a touch rude,” Blueblood admitted, frowning as he looked down to his hooves. The two turned corners into the hallway while Fancy Pants looked to the prince. “I thought you might like it here. You’ve probably been here a dozen times, though. I know I have.”

“It’s always been rather calming for me to visit this place, even if I’ve been here a dozen times.” Fancy Pants gave Blueblood a small grin of excitement. “When I first began to make a name for myself, I used to love to cover a mare or stallion in one of my finest outfits, and tell them how a piece of art from this museum inspired me to throw it together. Of course I always liked to throw in how stunning it looked on them in comparison.”

“Did you really draw inspiration from these pieces?” Blueblood questioned as he raised his eyebrow at Fancy Pants.

The other threw him a devious grin when he asked the question. “A few.” Fancy Pants admitted. “Mostly color schemes. I don’t like to lie to my dates, just bend the truth a bit.”

The two traveled down the hallways of the museum for a bit, their small talk only halting when the two stopped to stare at a rather eye-catching work of art. The gallery was fairly busy, though thankfully most ponies kept to themselves as they passed. Some of the ponies around them looked touristy, many either casual dress or not clothed in anything at all. Mostly the building contained stallions in fancy suits and mares in long tender-looking dresses.

Fancy Pants kept a steady pace, looking to his side every few moments in conversation every time Blueblood’s words trailed off. Whenever the prince seemed distracted his eyes were fixed upon a painting. Once or twice he stopped. He didn’t say much about a piece of artwork, and his expression hard to read. Fancy smiled at him whenever the prince shook his head, as if he were coming back to his senses after being mesmerized for some time.

Colors and shapes filled Fancy Pant’s gaze, catching his attention briefly, though never quite pulling him away from the conversation at hoof. He had only walked perhaps five hoofsteps before he realized the prince had fallen behind. When the older stallion had stopped, he looked at the prince gazing up at a large painting before them. A frown was on his face, as if he were deep in thought.

Fancy Pants’ eyes glanced to the piece of art, a large canvas in dark colors. It depicted a doorway as it opened on the bedroom of a three ponies, two stallions and a mare. The three were laying together, wrapped in each other’s embrace over a crimson set of covers, though the covers were indeed stained with a bit of white. The way the room was decorated, the room seemed to belong to royalty. The bed frame was a glow of gold, the white unicorn in the middle of the two had a silver crown for a cutie mark on his flank. Their faces were pale, all three of them. In the doorway stood a shadow, a pony with a hoof pressed to their face, as if in shock.

“I recognize this painting.” The words came from Blueblood’s lips. He looked to Fancy briefly, a little bit of embarrassment shown on his face when he realized he had stopped without warning. “My uh… My father used to make me study fine arts. I used to look at those pictures and read stories about them all day long sometimes. It’s was a bit exhausting if I’m honest.”

“Oh?” Fancy Pants commented as he trotted up beside Prince Blueblood. He examined the artwork a bit further. “I’m sorry, I’m a bit unfamiliar with this piece. I never really know the history behind them. I’ve seen it before though, I just prefer the more… colorful ones if you will.”

“Abstract?” Blueblood asked, a bit of a chuckle in his tone. “Well, it helps that this particular painting was also based off of a fairy tale. It was one of those older ones, the ones that aren’t exactly made for little foals. I didn’t mind studying those so much.”

“What’s the story?” Fancy pants inquired as he raised his eyebrow to the prince.

“Let’s see,” Blueblood admitted, bringing a hoof to his lips as he bit down on the end. “I think the story is mostly about that unicorn in the middle. He was a prince, and he was the oldest child. His mother had died, but his younger brother was already married, so he was a better candidate to obtaining the throne. He was already in love with a mare at the time, but held off marrying her because he had met a stallion who he had also fallen in love with… I can’t remember if he was a baker or a basket weaver, it along the lines of something common… sorry, my memory is a bit spotty.”

“Keep going, you’re doing fine” Fancy encouraged. The older's grin caused Prince Blueblood to give him a nod, a thankful smile on his face.

“Anyway, there was a time limit of some sorts. It was better to have a married couple who could have children on the throne, but the prince was torn apart because of his feelings. He loved both the mare and the stallion, and the day kept drawing closer for him to make up his decision. He stressed over his duty to the throne and his family and his heart, unsure if he loved the mare or if he wanted to make his family proud. He was also unsure if he loved the stallion, or just wanted to be defiant to his family's rules and go against them. On the night before the wedding, he had invited both the mare and the stallion to his room telling them he would give them his decision in the morning, and that he just wanted a nice night with the two of them. He had given them each a goblet filled with cider and poison from a snake’s bite. They both laid in his bed and fell asleep. It was painless, but they had died in their sleep.”

“That’s a bit morbid.” Fancy Pants commented, a frown on his face.

“That’s not all,” Blueblood raised his hoof to silence Fancy Pants. “The prince had planned to drink the poison himself and rest in bed with them. However he felt so much guilt over their deaths that he had taken a knife to his belly and bled out. He embraced the two while he bled, and his white bedsheets had turned to crimson. He believed that he could be happy with the two of them after death. He died holding the two of them, the pressure of his decision driving him insane in the end. The shadow in the doorway is his bed maiden finding them… I think that’s how the story ended.”

“That’s quite the story.” Fancy Pants mumbled as he stared at the picture. “You don’t see many tragedies in today’s literature.”

“The prince was selfish.” Blueblood frowned as he shook his head. “He wanted far too much… He should have just picked one or the other. In the end three families suffered instead of one… I despise this story.”

“That’s one way to look at it, I suppose.” Fancy Pants spoke to Blueblood. “Though you have to feel a bit sorry for the prince. Though despise is a rather strong word.”

Blueblood looked down at his hooves briefly, not answering the unicorn for quite some time. He pushed his mane back with his hoof, scratching behind his ear.

“Shining Armor was looking for me today. He told it right to Sunny, too, so I couldn’t avoid him… but I came here with you instead.” Blueblood laughed a dry laugh.

“That seems a touch rude.” Fancy Pants commented, lifting his brow. “You must really not want to see him.”

There was a long silence where Blueblood refused to speak, the words not finding a place in his mouth. Several times he opened his mouth, only to close it. It took him three attempts before he found a voice.

“I was engaged once, you know.” The Prince spoke.

“Oh?” Fancy Pants responded, curiosity in his voice.

“My father set up a marriage that was political of sorts when I was young.” Blueblood looked to the other, a forced smile on his face that didn’t reach his eyes. “I was told that when I turned twenty-one I would marry her. He wanted the royal bloodline to continue, and her family saw it as a good connection to the crown. I knew nothing of her but a photo I received when I was young, and that her family were important diplomats across Equestria.”

“Of course the wedding never happened.” Fancy Pants spoke up.

“No.” Blueblood shook his head. “But I just sort of… accepted it. I thought it was normal. When I met Shining a few years later, it took forever for me to open up to him. He was just some guard who was really nosy. Most new recruits are scared of upsetting me because I can get them fired if I hate them, but he was always really annoying about trying to talk to me.”

The prince chuckled, and Fancy Pants saw a glimmer of happiness in his eyes, the memory bright for a single moment.

“I could have told my father at any time that I just didn’t want to marry that mare.” Blueblood shook his head as he bit into his cheek. “The more time I spent with Shining the more I just wanted to scream at him that I didn’t want to marry her. Even if he didn’t like it I could have convinced him. Aunt Celestia was always against the idea of arranged marriages. If I had just told her she would have stood up for me.

Fancy Pants watched as Prince Blueblood tugged at the end of his coat. He looked to the marble floors, a sigh escaping his lips.

“Cadence used to spend time with us too after a while, I think mostly because she babysat Princess Twilight a lot. The three of us used to go out all day and just… have fun. Even when my dad kept me inside they used to sneak me out. He used to get really angry when we came back, but Cadence was already a Princess and always stood up for me. After she found out he used to yell when I tried to do something he didn’t like, she always stood up for me. They were the only two who ever liked me because I was me. Growing up ponies, were always terrified of offending me and upsetting me because I was a prince. Ponies never treated me like I wasn’t a figurehead. A lot of mares and stallions have tried to get close to me over the years because of my political standing, it’s made me a tad wary of friendship… and still I was… scared…”

“Scared of what?” Fancy Pants questioned. He reached out his hoof briefly, however Blueblood shrugged it off when it touched his shoulder. The older unicorn frowned.

“I used to… I remember this story. I used to read this story all the time back then.” Blueblood looked back to the artwork of the prince and his two lovers. “I used to think that somewhere in it there was some hidden message over what the prince should have done. Even with Cadence and Shining being there for me, I couldn’t tell my father I didn’t want to marry that mare. When he died, Celestia called off the wedding… It was only a week after he died, and all I could do was feel relieved. That must make me an awful child, but it didn’t even cross my mind, it was like a large weight had been lifted.”

Blueblood seemed to bite harder into his cheek. Fancy Pants glanced back to the painting, the stallion embracing both of his lovers.

“A month after that it was my birthday. It was the day I was supposed to marry that mare, but instead me and Shining and Cadence were going to all go out to a violin recital. I wanted to go a little early and talk with Shining… when I got to the royal guard quarters, I saw him sitting there kissing Cadence… I don’t think they saw me…”

The muscles in Blueblood’s leg seemed to tighten, though not from anger as Fancy had first had thought. The prince had closed his eyes as he kept his head pointed firmly to the ground.

“I… He never talked about mares. He never talked about… dating or how cute mares we saw were, he only talked about his sister and Cadence, and never about that kind of stuff. I thought that maybe he never talked about that because he might… But he was right there, kissing Cadence… and not me.”

Blueblood felt his leg with his free hoof, rubbing the fabric up and down.

“Are you alright?” Fancy Pants asked, Blueblood finally looking to him. His eyes seemed full of emotion, though of what kind it was hard to pinpoint.

“Sorry that… I hadn’t thought about that painting in a long time… I’ve never actually told that story to anypony.” Blueblood sighed, his breath shaky. He shook his head slowly. “Shining has been bothering me for weeks. I… I can’t be around him without remembering how it felt. It feels like forever ago, he never knew why I just… drifted apart from the two of them. Talking to Shining is hard enough, but I can’t even be around Cadence without just getting upset… I don’t know how to fix things…”

Fancy pants looked down at Blueblood’s hooves, reaching out his own to grasp one. He felt the prince began to pull away, however he held it firmly in order to keep him in place. Blueblood’s cheeks were red as the crimson sheets in the painting before them. There was a silence, one that Fancy searched deep in his thoughts to fill.

“Sweetheart,” Fancy began, watching as Blueblood’s ears pricked up a bit at that name. “It’s okay to get emotional, even if the middle of a high class museum isn’t exactly the most ideal place.”

He managed to get a smile out of that, even if his eyes looked ready to spill over with a fresh set of tears.

“C-Can we just not talk about this?” Blueblood asked Fancy Pants, looking into his eyes with a sense of regret. “I didn’t want to spill this on you. Not you of all ponies, because you… You’re the first friend I’ve had in a long time...”

Blueblood trailed off, though Fancy looked at his eyes.

“I just… being around you makes everything confusing…” Blueblood had trouble speaking after that, a touch of frustration in his words as he bit his lip.

The eyes of the older were warm, understanding even. Fancy Pants looked back to him, blinking slowly before he leaned in, pressing his lips against the prince’s cheek. It was warm and soft, and the prince didn’t fight it. A gentle warmth was in his chest, one that made it loosen for just a moment. It tasted sweet on his lips when he pulled away, though the prince only felt the spot.

“Being hung up on the past just restricts your future.” Fancy said to the prince. “But never thinking about your past hurts your own growth. It’s a big part of growing up, actually.”

Blueblood didn’t respond to that. He kept his hoof on the spot where Fancy Pants had kissed him, as if somepony might come and snatch it away from him.

“We don’t need to discuss this now.” Fancy Pants smiled at Blueblood as he spoke, releasing the hoof. “Let’s just look at the art a little bit more. I can take you out for some lunch afterwards if you want. I know this great little place, or we could go back to my place for some tea. What do you say?”

“That sounds nice.” Blueblood’s voice was a bit quiet, though a sense of excitement loomed underneath his tone. “Either of them… I owe you that much for listening”

“You don’t owe me anything.” Fancy Pants insisted, pointing down to a new hallway. “You’re just accepting my offer.”

“Fancy Pants?” Blueblood’s voice questioned the stallion beside him.

“Hmm?” Fancy Pants raised his brow. “What is it, sweetheart?”

“Would it be… rather unbecoming of a prince if I were to lean on your side?” Blueblood stared into the other’s eyes. The prince looked as though he struggled not to show emotion, though a sense of desire was breaking through his wall. “Just for a bit, I do believe spilling all of that made me a tad fatigued, I honestly wasn’t prepared for that kind of emotional heart to heart thing. I don’t normally do that.”

“It’s fine, if that’s what you’re asking.” Fancy Pants laughed, Blueblood’s face containing a hint of relief. “Though you needn’t ask. I certainly wouldn’t mind if it was you who leaned on me of all ponies.”

As the two began to walk, Fancy Pants felt a weight on his side. Blueblood leaned up against him as they walked, not saying anything, simply sharing the warmth of the other’s body. The older pony didn’t mind. In fact, his smile only grew.

The rest of the morning was quiet and simple for the two stallions, a moment of peace and the warmth of each other.

Transplanting

Prince Blueblood could feel a lump lodged in the center of his throat. He could tell that he must be an odd sight in the castle at such an hour. The unicorn was wearing nothing but his fur, and his mane was still damp and in tangles from how Fancy had run his hooves through it. He wanted to believe that the guards stared at him because of these little things, though in his heart he knew very well that it was more than likely because of news of the incident from earlier spreading through the castle like wildfire.

Blueblood had asked only one guard for directions on how to find Shining Armor and Cadence, and even that was a challenge. He couldn’t remember the last time a guard’s eyes had been so full of curiosity instead of their usual stone cold gaze. The prince tried not to look in their eyes when he passed them in the moonlight of the window, but he could tell more than half looked back when he moved by.

Each step he took seemed somehow quieter than the heart beating in his chest. It was a struggle to remember just how exactly he should get to Shining and Cadence’s room. One turn left at the bottom of the stairs, two turns right at the next corner. He couldn’t believe how long it was since he had gone to visit either of the two. He could feel sweat drip down his spine, and he soon began to feel filthy.

It was already late. He began to wish that he had managed to pry himself away from Fancy Pants a bit sooner, though the more he thought about it the more he realized he wasn’t willing to give a single second of their time up for anypony. Though he found it difficult not to blush at the thought of those lips against his, knowing it would only give the royal guards more of a reason to stare.

The pink floors looked more like a light purple in the light of Luna’s moon. His hooves pressed down against the tiles until he glanced up. He spotted two royal guards standing guard outside of a doorway, along with a pink mare.

It was hard to tell if it was fear, excitement, or even just simple anxiety that filled Blueblood’s chest at the sight of Cadence. He hadn’t thought of what to tell her at all, or Shining for that matter. He thought about Fancy Pants and how warm he felt around him.

“Stupid fashion ponies…” Blueblood grumbled quietly to himself.

Even in the darkness, Blueblood was able to see Cadence’s lavender eyes light up at the sight of him. Her smile was wider than her usual polite one. That was a bit of comfort at the very least. She spoke no more than five words to the guard before trotting over to him at a brisk walk.

“Blueblood!” She said, her eyes scanning his body. He wondered if she was trying to determine his emotional state. Her eyes looked away for just a moment, losing that same spark she had previously. She smiled, but the joy it seemed to hold didn’t reach her eyes. “You look… much better than before.”

“Th-Thank you.” Blueblood tried to keep his voice even. He failed. She took up his hoof in two of her own and looked into his eyes, her smile reassuring. “I feel better than before.”

“So Fancy Pants helped after all?” Cadence asked, her hooves giving his own a squeeze. “Shining was nervous about leaving you two alone together for so long. He wanted to go check up on you after thirty minutes. I was actually just leaving now to go see how you were doing. I’ve never seen him whine like he did when I told him I would ask if you were comfortable seeing him or not.”

Cadence laughed, but Blueblood could tell it was forced. He looked at his hoof when Cadence released it, taking in a deep breath. “I think I’m ready to see him.”

“That’s great.” Cadence’s eyes lit up. She was always so charismatic. “We can go now and…”

“No,” Blueblood stated firmly. He watched Cadence frown, and it hurt somewhere in his chest. “I apologize, but I believe this is something I need to do on my own. This whole mess started with me and Shining because I blew up… I need to talk to him alone, if you don’t mind.”

Cadence’s frown lasted a few moments, but it eventually turned into a smile. She closed her eyes and nodded her head. “I understand. He’s getting antsy in there, but I think you’ll be able to calm him down.”

“Thank you, Cadence.” Blueblood took a single step forward, but stopped. “I promise I won’t kiss him again, though.”

“That’s good to hear.” Cadence laughed, which brought a smile to Blueblood’s face.

Blueblood turned away from Cadence, his steps alternating between confident and nervous the closer he got to the door. It was no more than thirty feet, but it felt like a mile. He was thankful the unicorn guard gave him a curt nod to enter the door, opening it for him with his magic.

Blueblood’s heart pounded, and it suddenly became a struggle to remember his own name. He lifted his hoof to pull at the cuff of his shirt only to remember that he wasn’t wearing anything.

The floor was a checkerboard of purple and periwinkle with a small carpet in the center of the room. There were two large windows that took up half the wall on the left hoof side. Blueblood’s eyes fell upon the large canopy bed, red curtains tied open to reveal Shining Armor laying on the bed with a pillow clutched over his face, his lower legs squirming every few moments.

When the door closed behind the prince, Shining Armor lowered the pillow from his eyes, holding it to his chest.

Blueblood couldn’t do this. His breath caught in his throat and suddenly the room began to spin. He tried to step back, but when he did, he nearly tripped.

“Cady?” Shining Armor asked when he sat up, still staring down at the pillow. “That was fast, what did Blue sa –”

Shining Armor’s eyes lifted to meet Blueblood, and for a moment the room became silent. When Shining jumped off the bed, it was so sudden that Blueblood flinched. The new prince grimaced and looked at the floor with a grumble that Blueblood could only assume was a swear.

Blueblood clamped his hoof over his chest, the breath inside of him feeling rough and hard as he forced it in and out. He closed his eyes tightly when his legs trembled, feeling like little more than jelly. He bit down on his cheek so hard that he was shocked he didn’t taste blood.

“Blue?” Shining Armor asked. His voice was gentler and quieter than Blueblood had ever thought possible. “Are you… I mean… Are you better? No wait, there was nothing wrong with you. I mean there was, but yo-”

Shining took a few steps forward. Blueblood took a step back.

“I need t –” Blueblood whimpered, unable to even finish. He couldn’t bring himself to look at Shining Armor’s face. He backed up against the door, and it was only then that his erratic breathing became obvious. “I’m sorry, I can’t!”

Blueblood turned quickly in a desperate attempt to grab at the door handle, though his hoof soon glowed of magic and it was pulled to the ground.

“W-Wait!” Shining yelled, his hooves hitting the ground like hammers when he approached. “Blue, just calm down. You just surprised me is all.”

“I…” Blueblood’s eyes were watering. He could see Shining Armor’s forelegs move in an attempt to embrace him, though the prince whimpered. Shining took three steps back. “P-Please let go of me.”

“O-Okay, see, I’m not gonna do anything!” Shining lifted both his hooves into the air. “Please don’t run.”

Blueblood kept his eyes closed, trying his best not to tremble in the shadow of Shining Armor. He felt smaller all of a sudden, like his friend was towering over him and staring down at him with daggers for eyes.

“I’m s-sorry.” Blueblood spat out. It came out a little more forceful than he intended despite his shaking words. He watched Shining Armor slowly set down his hooves. “About earli–”

“Don’t apologize.” Shining’s voice was firm. It made Blueblood flinch, and Shining took a step back. He forced himself not to turn away from Shining. “Please just don’t apologize for that. I pushed you way too hard because…” Shining grumbled, hitting his hoof up against his head in his own frustration. Blueblood looked away and his expression softened once more. “And I’ve been thinking for hours how I might have pushed you so hard you don’t want to come back to me.”

Blueblood could see Shining’s eyes dart away. The captain was scratching an area behind his ears with a blush forming on his face. “Are you breathing okay now?”

Blueblood shook his head. He did manage to finally release the grip his teeth held on his cheek.

“Are you okay?” Shining Armor asked. He was fidgeting in place, his legs gripping each other in an attempt not to reach out to his friend. “That was a dumb question, wasn’t it?”

Blueblood didn’t respond, and instead looked away from Shining Armor. He wanted to tell him a million things, yet he struggled to think of how to word even one of them.

“Did Fancy Pants help you at all?” Shining took a half step forward. Blueblood didn’t mind, the mention of Fancy Pants helping lift his sunken heart.

“Fancy was… Fancy was great,” Blueblood tried his best to smile, but it didn’t come out like one. It looked strange, or at the very least it felt strange.

“What did you two talk about?” Shining Armor asked. He released Blueblood and the two stood apart no more than three feet. “I mean he calmed you down, and I couldn’t.”

“Can we sit down?” Blueblood asked, trying his best to look away so Shining wouldn’t see his face. His chest wasn’t hurting so much anymore, but the way Shining was forcing his smile made it tight still.

“Oh, right, sure.” Shining Armor nodded his head. He trotted over to the bed and grabbed two red cushions and brought them to the floor. He spaced them apart, taking a few moments to push them closer and then pull them apart once more. “Where’s Cadence?”

“I told her I wanted to talk with you alone,” Blueblood said. Shining Armor nodded quickly, as if he wasn’t really listening all that well. Blueblood began to shift in place uncomfortably for the next few moments. He stared down at his hooves and only now began to notice how warm the room felt, a bead of sweat appearing on his forehead.

Blueblood walked over and sat in front of Shining Armor. He could see how Shining was fidgeting in place, eyes looking into Blueblood’s own and then away again. Blueblood fidgeted in place a bit, Shining’s eyes staring at him. The pillow was soft, softer than his own even. It was a bit lumpy from Shining grabbing it and hugging it for so long, though he tried not to shift too much trying to get comfortable. He could feel Shining’s eyes, how they dug into him.

“Shining, I…”

“Do you not like mares?” Shining questioned. His eyes were wide, staring straight at Blueblood.

“What?” Blueblood’s head began to swim. His body felt warm, and he grabbed onto his hoof and held it firmly. Shining was hardly blinking, the eyes like daggers. “I mean t-the royal family is supposed to…”

“I don’t care about the royal family.” Shining shook his head. “Just you. I promise I won’t just…” Shining held out his hooves and stared at them. He tightened them and put them both at his sides. “I won’t get angry like I did before. I won’t yell.”

Blueblood only managed to shake his head in response. His heart pounded once, but it was so loud he was positive Shining Armor had heard it. The seconds suddenly felt a dozen times longer the more Shining seemed to think about his answer.

“Never?” Shining leaned in a few inches. Blueblood shook his head again. Shining put both hooves over his eyes and shook his head. He was groaning. When he pulled down his hooves, his eyes somehow looked tired. “I’m sorry, Blue.”

“Sorry?” Blueblood bit into his cheek.

“I used to tease you a lot because you never looked at mares when we all went out.” Shining frowned and stared down into the palms of his hooves. “I used to try to force you to go talk with mares, hell I even set you up with a few. For a while I thought you didn’t want to because of that stupid engagement, but I never thought that you just wouldn’t like them.”

“I forgot about that,” Blueblood mumbled. It was unexpected, but something that could be called a smile did appear on his face. He grabbed his foreleg and began to rub it, taking time before he looked at Shining Armor again. “I yelled at you to stop after a while.”

“You did.” Shining Armor smiled, but his eyes simply looked away from Blueblood. “I thought you were just embarrassed or something.”

“I-I always thought it would be a scandal.” Blueblood shook his head. “E-Equestria hasn’t had a prince who liked stallions in quite a long time. I-It’s usually expected that they continue the royal bloodline. I tried not to th-think about it a lot.”

“I’m sorry,” Shining Armor gripped the pillow underneath him tightly in his hooves. “I wasn’t there for you for that. I’m really thick sometimes, aren’t I?”

“S-Sometimes,” Blueblood smiled. That managed to get a chuckle out of Shining Armor at the very least. “I know you don’t want to hear it.”

“Blue, no.” Shining’s voice was demanding, though this time Blueblood didn’t flinch.

“I avoided you since you came back.” Blueblood frowned and tried his best not to sniffle. “I was terrified that everything I felt would just get drug back up again. I was finally starting to move on, and you two came back and I couldn’t even talk to you without panicking. I almost… I almost blew everything today. If Fancy didn’t forgive me I don’t know what I…”

“Forgive?” Shining leaned in once more.

“Fancy…” Blueblood chuckled, though he could feel a bead of sweat go down the back of his neck. How his voice was as quiet as it was he had no idea. He wanted to sit up straight, to say it proudly, but it took all he had just to get it out. “Fancy kissed me today.”

“Oh, he did?” Shining began to scratch behind his head. “W-Was that your first kiss?”

“Second.” Blueblood smiled, though he knew it wasn’t reaching his eyes. Shining looked away from him, another hit to his forehead with his own hoof. “I thought he was going to be upset with me. I thought he wouldn’t want me anymore. But he looked like he could have laughed when I told him.”

Blueblood’s smile held for just long enough for him to relish in that thought. He giggled to himself and wondered if Fancy Pants would laugh with him.

“I’m glad that he made you calm down.” Shining Armor reached out his hoof hesitantly. When he touched Blueblood’s own, the prince had to struggle not to pull it away. He let Shining squeeze it. “He didn’t rush you, did he?”

“No.” Blueblood shook his head. “He pushed sometimes, but he always stopped if I got overwhelmed.”

“That’s good.” Shining nodded his head. “I uh… I know I really don’t have much right to tell you what to do, especially after today. I don’t want to see you upset like that again. Just, if Fancy becomes too much to handle, just talk to me, okay?”

Shining Armor held Blueblood’s hoof carefully, setting it down back on the ground. “I know Fancy Pants is probably a great guy. I don’t know him like you do – I just know that he’s a really social pony and you aren’t. You can’t stand crowds and I don’t want him dragging you around just to show you off.”

“Fancy isn’t like that,” Blueblood assured Shining, a frown on his face. He could feel Shining squeeze his hoof. “We only went out in public once, and I suggested it. He says he likes it when it’s just the two of us. He only goes to those parties all the time because he doesn’t want to feel alone.”

“You stopped stuttering.” Shining Armor put on a smile. “I guess talking about your new boyfriend calms you down.”

“Fancy isn’t… w-well he is,” Blueblood clamped a hoof over his chest. His heart began pounding. It seemed like Shining had spoken too soon about that stuttering bit. “I feel a little better now, yes. I’m just… I don’t know what I would do without Fancy right now.”

“I’m sorry, Blue.” Shining shook his head. Another groan came out. “I don’t want to just sit here and judge what ponies you want to be with.”

Blueblood couldn’t help it, he laughed. Shining looked at him like he had gone mad, but Blueblood did indeed manage to laugh. He rubbed at his cheeks with both hooves and shook his head.

“That is so like you,” Blueblood smiled, his heart feeling a little lighter. “You’ve always been overprotective.”

“N-No I’m not!” Shining looked like he might start pouting. He folded his forelegs across his chest, a look of irritation spreading to his face.

“Yes you are. Back when you were still my guard you always made excuses just for my father to not see me so I could get ready in time,” Blueblood chuckled. “Not to mention you talked back to him about a hundred times. I’m quite shocked you didn’t get fired.”

“I’m not…” Shining was blushing. Blueblood felt a pang of nostalgia somewhere deep in his chest. “Okay, maybe it is like me. But it’s only because I care about my friends.”

“Well you didn’t always,” Blueblood spoke up, leaning forward to Shining Armor. When Shining opened his mouth to speak Blueblood lifted his hoof to silence him. “You couldn’t stand me the first few weeks you were my guard. I know you tried to change positions at least twice. Royal guards quite awful at keeping secrets, you know.”

“Yeah, you were a hoof full,” Shining chuckled in response. “I think you yelled at me a dozen times a day, or at least it felt like that. I didn’t like that I trained for years to be babysitting some spoiled prince. No offense.”

“I could tell you were about to break.” Blueblood’s smile lessened when he looked down at the checkerboard floor. “You came to the castle one morning after my father yelled at me over something silly.”

“I remember you were crying that day.” Shining Armor frowned and shook his head once more. “It was because you couldn’t use your magic properly. You yelled at me to get out when I came in.”

“You almost yelled back.” Blueblood stated, a frown on his lips.

“No I didn’t!” Shining Armor snapped. His eyes widened and he lowered his shoulders. “I’m sorry, Blue. I said I wouldn’t yell.”

“That kind is okay,” Blueblood giggled. “I used to like it when you got flustered when Candence and I teased you. I knew you were about to yell back then.” Blueblood looked into Shining’s eyes. “But you didn’t. You kept trying to ask why I was crying and I yelled more. But you kept trying to ask. You asked if I wanted to play some card game with you. I was just glad that you stopped asking why I was crying. We played for a bit and I told you why I was upset. Other guards made fun of me when I cried and yelled at them, but you never did.”

“You were really bad at that game.” Shining laughed, forcing a smile onto Blueblood’s lips. “I think I let you win three times before I tried.”

“You kept trying to make me play games with you after that,” Blueblood chuckled as he ran his hoof through his mane. “You always hated chess though, because you never won. You started talking to me at parties and asking me to go into town with you a lot. I never had a friend before. At least not one who wasn’t some kid of a political figure trying to impress their father.”

“Chess was the only game I didn’t like growing up.” Shining Armor laughed, but his smile soon faded. Blueblood grew quiet as well, watching Shining’s eyes glance around the room for a bit. He lifted his hoof and scratched at his cheek. He didn’t look back to Blueblood for quite a while. He swallowed hard and began to grab at his mane.

“Shining?” Blueblood questioned. He could feel his chest tighten once more and had to resist the urge to jump when his friend’s eyes shot to him.

“Why did you kiss me?” Shining asked. He looked away from Blueblood, but he stared at him out of the corner of his eye.

“I…” Blueblood looked down to his hooves. The same need to claw his chest came back, but he resisted. He fidgeted in place for a bit, thankful that Shining didn’t seem intent on rushing him. “You just kept pushing. Y-You yelled and it just happened. I was too scared to tell you why it hurt being around you.”

“It hurt?” Shining’s voice grew quiet. He lifted a hoof to grasp at his chest. “I’m sorry.”

“It… yes.” Blueblood watched Shining Armor’s ears lay flat. “Do you remember my father’s funeral?”

“Of course.” Shining grabbed Blueblood’s hoof again. “You ran out and Cadence and I went after you.”

“Y-Yeah, but after that.” Blueblood bit down into his cheek. “It took a while for me to calm down, but when I did I went to find you two, and you were kissing Cadence.”

“That was the first time we kissed,” Shining’s voice grew quiet. “Y-You saw us?”

He nodded his head. “I didn’t tell you two… I thought that I might tell you how I felt after the issue with my marriage settled down some. I don’t know what I expected – you always liked mares and never looked at stallions, but I just I wanted you to know.”

Blueblood could feel his eyes begin to water. He tried to think of Fancy Pants, of his embrace, how the emptiness in his chest was in the past. “I couldn’t be around you after you two became public. Every time I saw either of you, all I could think about was how you were kissing her and not…”

Blueblood could feel his eyes water.

“Blue, don’t!” Shining’s said, raising his forelegs and leaning forward. He stopped himself short, biting down onto his cheek. He took his forelegs and wrapped them around his body.

Shining Armor got to his hooves. It was fast yet steady, and he had a certain grace and confidence in his movements that Blueblood had never noticed before. He wouldn’t look at Blueblood when he began to pace the room, the new prince walking over to a dresser with a large mirror at top. Blueblood could see Shining’s reflection stare back at him. His eyes looked tired, aged far more than his body appeared.

“I’m… sorry Blue.” Shining’s voice was quiet yet heard. His hoof moved across the top of the dresser. He passed many pictures over his hoof, all in grand picture frames. Blueblood frowned, getting to his hooves as well and walking slowly until he was behind Shining Armor.

Blueblood’s eyes looked at Shining’s hoof. It had rested on a picture frame that was halfway pushed behind two others. He drug it to the front, his hoof stroking across the glass. Blueblood saw himself, along with Shining and Cadence. He could see Shining Armor and Cadence’s smiling faces, but when he pulled the picture out he saw himself as well. The three were standing in the castle garden, Blueblood’s hair shorter, Shining’s muscles thinner, Cadence standing a considerable three inches taller than her future husband. Blueblood tried to, but he wasn’t able to picture the day that image was taken. His chest felt tight, and he forced himself to look away.

“I care about you, Blue,” Shining Armor took in a long deep breath. “If I hurt you, I’m sorry. But I love Cadence, I could have never loved you like you wanted me to.”

Blueblood kept silent, though he did feel a tight claw begin to constrict his heartbeat. Shining held the photo in both hooves and stared at it hard. The prince’s body began to tremble, eyes blurring even further before he gave a stiff nod. He placed two hooves on either side of his head and squeezed down on his ears, taking just five seconds to block the world out. His mind screamed at him.

“N-Never.” Blueblood repeated. He closed his eyes, desperate to force the tears back in. Blueblood watched the muscles in Shining’s arms tighten, his teeth grinding down on each other in thought. He looked away from his friend and bit into his lip.

Why does it hurt? It shouldn’t hurt this bad. I’m happy, I have Fancy. I’m happy.

“I couldn’t ever give you what you wanted or needed.” Shining’s voice was hard, emotionless even. He set the picture down gently, giving it one final touch with his hoof before he turned his attention to the mirror. He stared at Blueblood’s reflection, his body exhausted and eyes carrying bags. “Does… Does Fancy Pants make you happy like you should be? Be honest, okay?”

Blueblood tried to think. It was admittedly a more difficult task than it should have been, Shining’s words still stinging. He grabbed onto his own hoof just to stay standing, to keep his thoughts from consuming him. He slowly brought it to his lips and pressed down gently.

“F-Fancy’s great.” Blueblood tried to keep his voice even. His chest loosened just a bit at the thought of Fancy Pants. He grinned. Despite his eyes watering and about to overflow he couldn’t hold it back. “He’s kind and doesn’t rush me. W-When I mess up he just laughs and tells me it’ll be okay, and e-even when I know it won’t he makes me believe it. My head doesn’t feel overloaded with wondering if I look good or sound right. He kisses me no matter how bad I feel. I… I care about him. But I’m scared to let go.”

“Scared?” Shining’s said in a soft tone of voice. He finally turned to Blueblood, his lips in a frown. “C’mon, don’t cry. Things can go back to how they used to be… if you want, I mean.”

Blueblood looked at his own reflection in the mirror before him. He saw his own tears, and suddenly could feel the muscles in his forelegs tighten. He took in a deep breath and stared down at his hooves.

“No.” Blueblood hissed. He dug his hoof into the ground and shook his head. “No, I don’t want it to be like it used to be.”

“Excuse me?” Shining’s voice sounded confused. He looked away from Blueblood, expression going blank as if to hide any emotions he was feeling. “If you want I mean…”

Blueblood clenched his hooves. He shut his eyes so tight that the world was blocked out. He took in a deep breath, and opened his eyes to stare at Shining.

“I-I don’t care if you won’t ever love me like I wanted.” Blueblood stamped his hoof on the ground. It was loud and echoed like an earthquake. He wiped angrily at the tears just spilling from his right eye. “I’m… I’m scared. I’m just wilted and dying, and Fancy pulls me along even if I’m scared. But when I’m with him I feel like it’s okay to breathe again instead of holding my breath. I’m tired of being a weak useless wilted thing. I want to bloom! Fancy told me that I can be his boyfriend if I wanted… I don’t want to be pointless and stuck in the past if I’m going to have one!”

Blueblood’s words grew more confident. He wiped at his eyes until they were clear and stared at Shining Armor. He took a step forward. “I’m far too old for some grumpy old man to tell me what to do with my life! I don’t want to live in the past, and I don’t want to go back to how it used to be. I don’t want to be upset about you or my father or Cadence anymore! I want to make new memories with… with you and Cadence and Fancy and his friends!”

Blueblood’s chest heaved. His eyes looked wild. His cheeks grew brighter crimson the more he yelled. His tears had ceased, though his eyes were still wet and nose as well.

“I… I want to be better for Fancy Pants!” Blueblood shouted. “I want to grow! I don’t want to run from what I’m scared of because it’s not what he wants for me!” His body began to tremble. “Will you… Will you still be there for me if I let go, Shining? Will you still be my friend even if it won’t be the same?”

Prince Blueblood felt like he was holding his breath, and that each second ticked by like a season itself. He wasn’t sure if he should look at Shining Armor or not so his eyes kept darting back and forth. After what felt like an eternity, a weak smile seemed to appear past Blueblood’s watery vision. He rubbed at his eyes and sniffled, feeling a bit childish.

“We can do that.” Shining said, reaching out his hoof to touch Blueblood’s shoulder.

Blueblood’s chest swelled. He couldn’t even speak, so he simply puffed out his chest. His eyes still stung, and he nodded his head firmly.

“Tomorrow, Cadence and I are going into town. Will you come with us?” Shining Armor asked with a smile on his lips. “You can bring Fancy if you want, or just come alone. Cadence and I planned out what we wanted to do with you a long time ago. I’m not sure if you still like all the stuff, but we did it fo–"

“That sounds nice.” Blueblood forced a grin. It hurt, but not as much as he expected it to. But he still chuckled, noticing Shining lifting his forelegs briefly before setting them down. He let out a sniffle. “I think you’d like Fancy if you had the chance to know him. I do.”

“I’m sure I would.” Shining moved his forelegs again. “I don’t want to rush you if you’re not feeling better about all of this… But I want to pick up where Cadence and I left off with you. We can start to fix everything.”

“That sounds great.” Blueblood smiled, leaning forward to quickly wrap his hooves around Shining. He held his breath, hoping that Shining wouldn’t push him away. The new prince was stiff for a few moments, but the moment his forelegs raised to hold Blueblood back, he softened. Blueblood’s heart wasn’t set ablaze, not like it had been when Fancy had held him. “I’m ready to bloom.”

In fact, it was the first time in quite a long time that his heart had felt so light.