Author's Note

This has been a story I've been a bit scared to post, or even write. I feel it's weird to publicly display my kinks so openly on this site, even though I've done it before. I worry some of my followers will be turned away by this, but also I don't really care because it's my account and I can post what I want. This here is just an introduction chapter, which I don't normally do for porn, because I wanted the hard part of the intro out of the way.

Shining's Desire

Shining Armor for the past several months had been playing a dangerous game. A game of secrets, to be exact. Secrets were a funny thing, and it was mostly because they were far more complicated than ponies let on. Sometimes ponies kept secrets from themselves of things they denied, or didn’t want to know. It was different from a common secret in every sense of the word, because this kind drowned in denial. Shining Armor had been going through a good deal of denial, too.

“What’s wrong?” Cadence asked.

Shining Armor paused, his hoof hovering over the half packed saddle bags that laid on his bed. He blinked, looking up and over to his wife. He didn’t know just how long he had been staring into space. He looked at her, and realized she had been talking for the longest time and he didn’t have the slightest idea what she had been talking about.

“S-Sorry, Hon,” Shining said, tripping over a few of his words as he shook his head slowly. Cadence walked to him. He both adored and despised how easily she was able to read him. To simply know something was plaguing his thoughts. “What were you saying?”

“Just that Twilight said in her letter that she’s excited to see you,” Cadence said, putting a smile on her face that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Shining looked into her eyes, and realized near instantly they were the kind that wanted to help, even if she didn’t know what was going on. “So is Spike.”

Shining tensed just slightly at that last part. Cadence’s smile turned into a frown for a fraction of a second.

“I-I know,” Shining said, masking his obvious concern with a chuckle. “I’m excited to see them too, Cady. I just wish you could come, y’know.”

“That’s not why you’re stressed,” Cadence said. It wasn’t a question, but spoken like a fact. Shining frowned, hating how easily he was being read. He didn’t know if he was just that open of a book or if Cadence knew him well enough to know when something was clawing under his skin.

“I’m fine,” Shining said, forcing a laugh that he hoped sounded genuine as he brushed Cadence’s hoof from his shoulder. He went back to packing up the last of his saddle bags before securing them shut. “The train leaves in an hour, though. I should really get to the station.”

Cadence reached out her hoof, and grabbed Shining by the foreleg. Instantly, Shining felt his heart drop as well as his gaze. His smile faltered, and he was frowning now. He didn’t need to look at Cadence to know she was doing the same.

“Sweetie,” Cadence said in a voice all cotton candy and sugary treats. The sweetness of it made Shining’s insides churn. She reached up her hoof, and brushed aside a strand of blue hair from Shining’s eyes. “You’ve been acting strange ever since the last time we visited Twilight. Whenever I bring her or Spike up you get tense and weird.”

Shining Armor’s frown deepened, and he wondered if he had been that obvious.

“Cady…” Shining said, though realized as soon as he said it he had no clue how to finish it. He forced himself to look up into her eyes. She looked worried.

“You two didn’t have a fight, did you?” Cadence asked. “Is that what this is about?”

“Me and Twi?” Shining asked, now genuinely smiling because it was such an absurd idea. “No way. Seriously, Cady, I’m fine.”

“Then what about Spike?” Cadence interjected quickly when Shining gave the slightest hint of pulling away.

Instantly, Shining Armor felt his body tense. His smile froze on his face but he knew his eyes changed. Cadence was staring at him. She was reading him as if deciphering what that single reaction meant. Shining looked away fast, but knew from the hoof finding his own that it was too late. She knew something was wrong, and now had landed in the ballpark.

“It’s nothing,” Shining said, the words spoken so much they were beginning to feel hollow. “I-It’s dumb. It’s why I haven’t talked about it. He’d kill me if he knew I told anybody and I…”

“Shining,” Cadence said, pulling his hoof suddenly as she went to the bed. Shining had no choice but to follow, going to Cadence and letting himself slip onto the bed beside her. The silky sheets did little to comfort his growing anxiety. He forced himself to look at her once he was settled, and she had the sort of stern but kind face she used when being a monarch. “What’s wrong?”

Shining Armor gave a long, heavy sigh. It was a sigh he had been holding for months, ever since his last visit to Twilight and Spike. He felt his shoulders slouch slightly.

“Last time I was there,” Shining said, already the words quiet as if begging him to simply shut up and make an excuse. “Me and Spike were in his room reading some old comics. We were messing around some, and…”

Shining bit his lip.

“Hon,” Cadence said, squeezing his hoof. “It’s okay.”

“It was dumb,” Shining continued. His face felt hot, and he knew he was blushing. “I-I don’t remember why, but I grabbed his ankles at one point and started… tickling his feet.”

Cadence blinked, but otherwise her face didn’t change. Shining Armor sucked in a breath and continued.

“I think we were roughhousing some, I-I don’t know. Like we used to when he was younger. But I got him pinned down and started doing that, and… He got turned on a little.”

Cadence’s eyes widened slightly.

“Oh.”

“Oh,” Shining echoed his wife. “That’s what I said. Right to his face when I saw his… y’know.”

Her own face was slightly red on top of her pink coat now. She nodded her head, though it was clear from the look on her eyes that it had been the last thing she expected. Shining sighed.

“He seriously got so upset,” Shining said, squeezing Cadence’s hoof back. “He made me promise not to tell anybody, and then we didn’t talk at all. I don’t know if he’s mad at me or just embarrassed or both and…”

“Shining,” Cadence said, her tone soft and comforting despite the slight blush on her cheeks. “It’s okay. I’m sure it’s something you can both laugh about by now. If not, I’m sure he wasn’t upset with you, just embarrassed.”

“That’s not all,” Shining said without thinking. Instantly, he regretted his words. Cadence was staring at him now, curiosity brimming behind her wide eyes. He wanted to kick himself.

“Not all?” Cadence asked.

“I may have liked it too,” Shining Armor mumbled. “Like he did. He saw.”

Cadence stared at him for exactly three seconds before her gaze shifted to one of surprise. Shining closed his eyes, resisting the urge to flinch, and counted the seconds until he could breathe again.

“That’s… oh, I see. I… That’s…”

“It’s weird,” Shining said, spitting it out fast once he was able to speak again. His face was a hot crimson now. “I’m just the weirdo guy who got turned on by tickling a dragon’s feet, okay!”

Shining realized he had shouted that only as the last syllable left his mouth. Instantly he ripped his hoof away from Cadence’s own and used it to cover his face and shake his head. He let out a long groan. He flopped onto the bed, wanting to turn invisible or die or jump off the balcony.

“I’m a horrible husband,” Shining mumbled.

“No!” Cadence said, snapping into action despite her loss for words just a moment prior. She touched her hoof to his cheek and stroked gently. “Shining, you’re fine. It was just a little thing. You know I’ve never judged you for what you like.”

Shining sighed. It was true. Cadence, being the Princess of Love, was possibly the most open and accepting pony in all of Equestria with what she deemed acceptable. Shining could share just about any fantasy with her, and she would be willing to try at least once. This was different, though. This was just weird and alien to her. Alien to most ponies, he had to admit. The thoughts were coming up again harsh like rapid waves. The way Spike’s bare soles felt. The way he sounded when he laughed. The way he looked. They were making his chest feel tight and his heart race again. This was his secret, the one he refused to admit to himself.

“I liked it,” Shining mumbled. “I liked his… feet.”

“Do you want to do it again?” Cadence asked after possibly the longest silence of Shining’s life. Shining finally uncovered his face, and looked to her as if she had just proclaimed she was a four legged duck. She must have found his face funny, because she giggled and added “I’m serious!”

“No you’re not,” Shining said, sitting up. “C-C’mon, Cady, I can’t just do it again!”

“Why not?” Cadence asked. “You both seemed to like it!”

“I’m married!” Shining nearly shouted. “To you!”

“I’ve let you explore before,” Cadence said with a smile. “Remember when you told me you liked stallions as well as mares? I helped you find a suitor and…”

“That was different,” Shining said, face flushing at the memory. “That was different. That wasn’t… Spike. It wasn’t…”

“Shining,” Cadence said, reaching out her hoof and cupping his jaw. She gave him a kiss, a brief one, and smiled when she pulled away. “Obviously this has been eating at you. I know you love me more than anything and I feel the same for you. If this fantasy will make you happy, you should at least see if he’s willing.”

That was Cadence. Always so willing to let Shining be happy. Always understanding and kind. Always pushing what Shining was afraid of when it came to fantasies.

“That’s if he wants it,” Shining mumbled.

“So you do want it?” Cadence asked, a hint of a tease.

“Y-Yeah,” Shining mumbled, flushed again.

“So,” Cadence said, smiling happily now. “If you talk with him, and he’s okay with the idea, I don’t see what the problem is. As long as I get a very, very detailed report when you return.”

“Y-You serious, Cady?” Shining asked, half giggling because of nerves. “You’d want to know that?”

“Are you kidding?” Cadence said. “Do you know how cute the idea of you being nervous and shy about that is? I’d be in the same room if I could!”

“Okay, now you’re just being weird,” Shining said with a laugh, but soon was silenced by a kiss. He wrapped his arms around Cadence, and felt a sense of relief as though a weight on his back had been lifted.

Now came the hard part. Asking Spike if he wanted to do it again.