"Sugar?"
"No, thank you," Shining Armor replied to the waitress calmly, as he had done every other time he'd come to the coffee house before. He knew it was out of professional courtesy, but that didn't make it any less annoying. Medium coffee, no sugar, no cream. It shouldn't have been that hard to learn for a mare who was always working here. He took the mug in his magical grip, bringing to his mouth and taking a large drink. Setting it down, he opened his eyes to be met with longing look from his marefriend, sitting across from him.
"I can't keep doing this," Cadence whispered, despite the shop being almost empty. "We can't keep doing this."
"Doing what?" The stallion made no concentrated effort to prevent the irritation from being apparent in his voice. He grew impatient with "us" conversations almost immediately after they began: tired with them after only the first one. "Going out for coffee? Is that illegal now? Dating? I suppose, that's fraternization..."
"That!" The young princess's exclamation was a little louder than before, enough to catch Shining's attention but still barely audible to the only other couple in across the shop. "That right there! Shining, I get that you love your job, but 'us' is personal. You need to stop treating me like a military commander. I- I'm your marefriend, for Celestia's sake!"
You need to stop treating me like a military commander. Shining Armor loved Cadence. Really, he did. But that... that was his entire life, right there. Months of training, years of service, and he needed to just stop. Just stop for Cadence. Taking another deep breath, he tried to pick his words a little bit more carefully. "I joined the Guard when I was sixteen. Fourteen weeks of non-stop training, followed by the six greatest years of my life spent in service to my nation. To you," he replied softly, losing volume but none of his vigor. "I sharpen my weapons and polish my armor on a daily basis. My Captain wants to send me through OCS. My life is this county. It's not something I can turn off." When he noticed the tears welling up in Cadence's eyes, he hung his head low, the deepest blue portion of his mane starting to cover his eyes. "I don't think I can change like that."
A pink hoof gently wiped away the tears from stained, violet eyes. Rising from her seat, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza spoke her parting words. "I understand," was all she said. Taking her coffee and saddlebags into her magical grip, she began to walk out, determined to be stopped by nothing. She was finally leaving.
"Cadence, wait, I..."
"Return to your post, Staff Sergeant Shining Armor," she interrupted as she turned around, a stinging voice that never found itself wanting of venom. "You're dismissed."
The stallion didn't even notice the sound of the bell as his ex-marefriend walked out of the coffee shop. He barely had a thought as he walked home to put on his uniform, sans the armor. He didn't spare a second glance at the two young Specialists guarding the door to the One-hundred Thirty-third Royal Guard's armory in downtown Canterlot. He trotted mindlessly to the office he shared with several other platoon sergeants, and similarly began performing the sorriest task a soldier could ask for.
I wanted this, he thought to himself as he signed his name on what seemed like the millionth transfer order he'd filed that day. Something about an Academy applicant wanting to make Honor Guard. As Shining placed the paper into his "finished stack," he could only repeat that message to his own conscious. I wanted this. I pushed her away for a pile of transfer requests. It was the wrong decision to make. But, at the same time, it was the only decision he could make. He couldn't give up his life for love, no matter how much he wanted to be with Cadence. Maybe it was time to move on.
Maybe it was for the best.
"I don't think I've ever seen a sergeant do so much paperwork," another voice in the office. This, in turn, caused the sergeant in question to finally look up. The first thing he saw was the grayscale camouflage fabric covering a pair of light blue forelegs. The second thing he saw was the silver set of bars on each of his commanding officer's shoulders. "Don't bother coming to attention. I've been here long enough."
"I'm so sorry, Sir, I..."
"She broke up with you, didn't she?" Captain Shortblade was a great bear of an earth pony, to the point that there was a rumor among the Guards under his command that he had to have all his uniforms custom made to accommodate his size. Despite his intimidating appearance, however, he had a gentle, kind voice, one that could serve to put anypony to ease. After a few moments without a response, he specified, "Princess Cadenza. She broke up with you, didn't she?"
"How did you..." Shining began, but quickly decided against questioning the knowledge of the stallion in charge of his immediate future. "I'm not quite sure what happened today, Sir. We went out for coffee and..."
"I know exactly why she left." It seemed that Shortblade was going to make a habit of interrupting him today.
"Care to share, Sir?"
"It's the same reason you've never called my anything but 'Sir' or 'Captain'." The officer took quick note of the confused look on his subordinate's face, silently wondering if he was going to figure it out. When it became apparent that the he wasn't, he continued. "It's the same reason we never step on the Seal on the drill floor. The same reason that everypony in the Guard drinks black coffee without sugar. The same reason we don't salute indoors. It's because that's how they teach it to us. Basic, AIT, every time you come into this office, you're a soldier. When you're on the streets, you're a soldier. Every second of every day, you're expected to be a soldier. But I'd bet my life that Princess Cadenza isn't looking for a soldier. She's looking for a coltfriend.
"I want to show you something, Sergeant." Shortblade reached into one of the pockets on his sleeve, took out a small photograph, and laid it down on Shining's desk. In it was a stallion, obviously the captain, standing next to a pink-colored mare and towering over two young foals. It was taken in a small gazebo that he recognized as being in the Castle's public gardens. "Her name's Firefly. She's my wife. That's Dawn, that's Dusk. They're my foals. I love them all very much. Can't wait to get out of here to go see them."
"Sir, with all due respect," the lower-ranked stallion said cautiously, pushing the photo back across the desk. "Why are you showing me this?"
"Do you know what the best kind of soldier is, Sergeant?" Shining Armor was about to answer the question, but decided against it. Instead, he simply shook his head. "The best soldier is a soldier with something worth living for. You want to fight for Equestria, you may die for your brothers, but at the end of the day, you need something to come home to. If you don't have that, you're of little to no use to me."
Shining considered this briefly. It all came down to a single moment of truth: did he have anything else worth living for? He had things that would cease to be his someday. He had a family that barely ever saw him anyways. He used to have Cadence.
The way she made him smile was like nothing else. The joy of her laugh had no equal. He loved her dearly, and for a time, it seemed as though nothing of Equus could tear them apart. He wouldn't mind living for that. All he needed to do was get her back.
"You don't need to shut it off," Shortblade spoke up again, interrupting Shining's thoughts. "Both those foals are expected to keep a presentable, military appearance. They keep their rooms cleaner than a recruit who knows it's inspection day. Dusk still calls me 'sir'. Their principal tells me every time somepony's getting bullied and they help them. Or don't. It's not a matter of shutting off. Just put it on a back burner. If you can't do that for her, you don't deserve her."
"Sir, I..."
"That's as much advice as I'm giving you. I also need soldiers who can solve their own damn problems. But I will make you a deal. You finish those transfers today, drill the hell out of my new recruits tomorrow, and I'll see to it that CW-five downstairs gets you as much leave as you need to figure this out. Deal?"
"Hooah, Sir." The captain stepped out, leaving Shining Armor to his thoughts. Good things do come from PT...
Not wanting to let his third cup of coffee get cold, Shining Armor found himself once again downing an entire mug of the finest black coffee a staff sergeants salary could by at a downtown Canterlot coffee shop. He was lucky that the store served the liquid life in mugs: he doubted he'd be able to drink out of those little plastic cups. It wouldn't feel right. He turned to face the door, noting that Cadence still wasn't there.
You know she's not coming, the saner half of his mind told him. It would take some miracle of Aren for her to even consider...
"I don't often grant audience to Staff Sergeants, especially not in random cafes they pick out. I'd suggest you speak your mind before I change mine."
Just like that, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, in all her beauty, towered above and behind him. For the last time, the stallion turned around in his seat and fought the urge to come to attention. Two Honor Guard majors stood behind her, doing little to alleviate his fears of the situation. She didn't wear her crown, but the large golden torque was clearly visible. I pushed her too far. Shining swallowed hard, trying to think about exactly what to say. Here goes nothing. "Would you like to sit down?"
"Not unless you give me a damn good reason."
That was unexpected. It was becoming quite clear that this was going to be far harder than the Captain had made it sound. "I just want to talk. Shining Armor and Cadence, like it used to be. Please?"
The alicorn sighed deeply before joining her company. "Could I get a half-caf with soy, cream, and brown sugar?" The mare behind the counter nodded and went to work with the order, and Cadence in turn gave a small nod to her guards as though to tell them that the place was clean. Finally, she turned towards Shining and glared at him. "Speak your peace."
The stallion took the mug in his magic before quickly putting it down again, remembering that there wasn't a drop left. "I barely made it a day and a half. I'd like to say I learned a lot, but that's not for me to judge. There's only one thing I can say for sure.
"I couldn't survive two days without seeing you," he pressed on, not letting Cadence speak, at least until he had finished. "Look at us, Cadence. You're walking around Canterlot in your torque with two guards following you! No offence, gentelcolts. You're usually not here." One of the Majors grunted, but didn't interrupt. "You never did that before. So I'd like to say I had a positive impact on you, and you seemed genuinely happy. I let it go with my stubbornness, and now you're not you. So if we can't be us, can we at least be friends again?"
The two sat there for another minute, letting the silence do nothing but fester between them. Princess Cadence looked at her subordinate with cold, uncaring eyes, as though to pierce his very soul. Shining, in return, looked back with a hint of sadness and hope. "How am I supposed to know you've changed? That this doesn't happen again? Because it's happened before, and I'm getting tired of it."
Just then, the barista finally brought out Cadence's drink to the table, along with a mug of fresh coffee. She poured Shining another mug, making sure to add her famous question. "Sugar?"
"Just a little, please." His company almost gasped at his response as the barista put a single packet of sugar into the mug and stirred it a little bit before leaving. "What?"
"You've never had sugar in your coffee before."
"It's supposed to be symbolic." Shining rubbed the back of his neck with his hoof, nervous to proceed but willing to do whatever it took at the same time. "I had a talk with my commander about things worth living for. I immediately thought of you, of course, but it got me thinking. Maybe I could use a little sweetness in my life."
"I'm your sweetness, then?" Cadence asked in a light voice, her frightening demeanor fading fast. Shining only nodded. She reached across the table and grabbed his hoof, holding on tight. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?" she inquired, leaning in closer.
"Honestly? I haven't a clue." He met her half way, and the two met in a brief, but ever so passionate kiss.
It was over as quickly as it came, leaving one last lingering question. "How many times did you practice that speech before I got here?"
"Eight." Cadence glared at him. She didn't like being lied to. "Eighteen." She didn't let up. "And a half just before you arrived."
"And?"
Shining considered the meaning of the question for a few seconds before answering. "Worth it," he whispered, grabbing his mug in his magic and taking a drink.
Just like that, it was over. One rather embarrassing noise and an Honor Guard Major covered in coffee later, all he could bring himself to say was, "Sweet Celestia, ponies drink that?" before remembering that somepony who vastly outranked him was on the other end of that. Cadence only giggled to herself as she watched the expression on her coltfriend's face grow grimmer and grimmer. I am so going to pay for that...
Oh well. Still totally worth it.
Author's Note
Wait... I wrote a straight ship?
Yeah, it happened. I know, I know. But it's Maroon 5, so screw it. Just a few notes:
1.) That is a legitimate conversation I have had with my commanding officer. True story.
2.) Yes, coffee with even a little bit of sugar is THAT nasty. Join the military, you'll see.
Like, fave, subscribe, and as always, thanks for reading. Catch you next time.
This was all self-edited, so if you see a mistake, be sure to tell me!