The Prince's Predicament

After a satisfactory uniform inspection and tea with Mustard and his coltfriend, Shining made his way to the gymnasium. The tea had helped him calm down, but if he wanted to be what his wife needed, he figured it wouldn't hurt to be in good shape.

As he walked in, he spotted his captain at the weights bench. "Afternoon, Pyre," he greeted. "How are we today?"

Captain Pyre said nothing for three reps, then hung up his barbell and sat up. "Two more sets, and then I'm hitting the showers," he breathed, wiping the sweat from his neck. "How are you, sir?"

"A bit stressed. Figured I'd take it out on the bags or something."

"Well, you know, just about anything here is going to help you. The rush of endorphins will make you feel good, the quiet will help you think, and you know anyone in here is willing to help you talk out your problems if you want help." He stood up. "Tell ya what, I'll let you take the bench for a set and spot you while I cool down for my next set."

With a smile, Shining took his place on the bench and grabbed the bar in his hooves. The weights he was using were heavier than what Shining typically used, but the captain did have bigger muscles. He was a prime specimen of pony health, and a beacon that Shining hoped all the guards would strive for.

As Shining began lifting, Pyre stood over him, making sure every lift was good. All the way up, and then all the way down. He even kept count, encouraging Shining to keep going until he hit twenty.

"That's heavier than I usually go for," huffed Shining as he sat up. "I'm usually working five kilos lower than this."

"I can take it off for your next set," offered Pyre. "I don't want to injure you by accident."

Shining shook his head. "No, it's not that big of a difference. I'll just limit my sets to compensate."

Pyre furrowed his brow, then pulled off five kilos and returned them to the rack. "It'll be better if you're not straining yourself, and I'll just do more reps per set with less weight. Much healthier."

"Okay, then," shrugged Shining, switching positions with him. "Whenever you're ready."

"So what's been eating you?" asked Pyre, gearing up. He wouldn't be able to talk, count and lift at the same time, so this granted Shining the opportunity to spill his problems.

"It's my sex life," admitted Shining. "There's some things Cadance wants to do, but I'm not really amenable to that sort of thing. Nothing untoward, mind you, I'm aware that a lot of ponies do that sort of thing, but... it just doesn't sit right with me. I mean, when I was younger, it was driven into my head that this is all a bad thing, and that I should hate the ponies that do this, but there's nothing wrong with the ponies. They're good ponies. In fact, I had some lunch with a couple of them, and they made me feel welcome at their patio table. I have no problem joining them for tea, but joining them in bed... I just don't know if I can do it."

At twenty-five reps, Pyre hung up the weights and swapped to the other side. As Shining took to the bench, he replied, "It's hard to say whether or not you're being reasonable without knowing the request. Still, if you say it's a common kink, it surely can't be all bad. Personally, I'd recommend you try it at least once and find out how bad it really is. If it doesn't make good ponies bad, then you're probably going to be fine. Of course, I will also add to that the caveat that, whatever you decide, make sure you take the necessary safety precautions. I'm looking to see you happy, not hurt."

They swapped positions again. It was time for Pyre's last set. "It's fooling around with other stallions," clarified Shining. "I don't mind the troops being gay, as long as it doesn't cause a problem among the ranks, and it hasn't so far. If they want to go home and rub their dicks together, it's no skin off my nose. But the only stallions I want touching my balls are doctors. It just doesn't sit right with me."

"A reasonable answer," nodded Pyre. "Personally, I don't mind either way. Stallion or mare, if they want to wrap their lips around my shaft, I'll not stand in their way. I won't take it up the arse, but I'll gladly shove my sausage up between another stallion's buns if he asked. Or a mare. But for Cadance's sake, I'd suggest you try to find some way of making it easier. Talk to your gay friends and see if one would be willing to mitigate your discomfort. After all, better to have a friend that won't take it too far than a stranger who wouldn't care about your happiness."

Shining hung up the bar and stood up. "That's actually not a bad idea. It still sounds unpleasant to me, but at least it won't be as unpleasant." He sighed. "I need a shower, now."

After wiping down the exercise bench and rehanging the weights, the two of them moved into the communal showers. It was pretty nice, even having soap dispensers paid for by the castle to encourage the soldiers who worked out in the gym to shower afterward. It worked pretty well, too.

"Have you thought about who you're going to ask?" asked Pyre, lathering up his mane.

Shining stood next to him, starting with his face. "I don't know. I figure I'll ask around; cast a wide net. I don't want to force them into it, after all."

"Well, keep me in mind," smiled Pyre. "If you don't find anyone, I'll let you suck my cock. May not be what you're after, but you do have access to my medical records. Totally clean, and I can even give you some tips if you're doing things wrong."

Shining chuckled. "Thanks, but no."

"Hey, if Cadance gives you an ultimatum, aren't my balls going to be preferable to some random stallion picked by your wife?"