Caramel dipped his head and poured the contents of the tea kettle into multiple fancy cups. He gripped it steadily, taking extra measures not to spill anything on the festive snooty decorations and lifted his head. He made another bow of his head, smiling courteously at the group of rich ponies, and turned around promptly to return to his other duties.
The room was buzzing and full of chit chat that only those fortunate to be wealthy had the time to converse about. The ice sculptures were perfect, the atmosphere alive, the lights illuminate, the colours of the decorations and ponies blended together in one big expensive rainbow of a banquet hall with the moon brightly glowing outside the gemmed windows. Things like politics, the size of someone’s home and where to find the best cheeses in all of Canterlot were all these colourful sparkling ponies noticed. That and anyone who looked like they needed a new spouse of course. Lord something or other, obviously not his real name, had recently divorced his wife apparently and was already looking for a possible replacement to ‘fill the void in his lonely bachelor life’. He look handsome enough…someone should have called in Rarity about the matter. All the other waiters were gliding about the floor like penguins on show just as Caramel was in their ‘quant’ little bow ties as a show of office and beneath all these bit enthusiasts.
This was just yet another job Caramel had. He had many, had done many, and was still doing many of them. The short jobs were usually by unknown any ponies just needing a hoof with something they just could not do alone, and paid bits for it. That’s how Caramel made his living. He worked everywhere and anywhere any pony had a job for him. Canterlot, Apploosa, Manehatten,Dodge Junction, of course Ponyville and even Fillydelphia once or twice. It was something he enjoyed. It was his cutie mark after all: traveling and working on tempered hooves.
This job was just a recurring one, the old waiter gimmick. You could say he was somewhat of a backup waiter in Canterlot among the various catering businesses. Whenever the call reached his home in Ponyville Caramel made sure he was on the train sooner than Pinkie could eat a cake. The rich liked their parties after all, and some pony had to serve them the finest hay sandwiches. Caramel never really minded doing it really. He liked labour work like this, or pulling carriages. They were more exhausting jobs sure, but he preferred them over the few he had started with as a younger colt. Ones where you man desks and wait the days out for customers. He felt alive, active, like he was really doing something that was benefiting someone.
Of course, his over glorification of being a waiter was not shared by his colleges. Still, they seemed to cheer up when they found out he was on shift with them. Less work and grinning for them, he supposed.
The nicest thing was going around and meeting people. Caramel enjoyed when people just looked happy and enjoying themselves. Be it the satisfied and grateful smile of somepony after he was done pulling a cart or the exhausted but relieved faced of his fellow laborers after shifts, Caramel found comfort as they trotted on with their life and discussed their own personal party plans of going out on the town to unwind and chug down cider like mad ponies respectively. He wasn't much of a party or social gathering pony for the enjoyment funnily enough. That was Pinkie’s job. He’d probably end up in a corner somewhere, making sure people didn't vomit up the place in the little colt’s room, doing some social dancing and then turning in early. Some might call him boring, but to Caramel the reward of the day was getting home and having a long hard sleep to relax after earning it.
No, Caramel was an average pony. He carried trays on his head, greeting royalty and smiled as sweet as his namesake. He was clumsy but warm, a bit too plain but agreeable, too focused on work but dutiful. For that, everyone generally liked him. You had to go out of your way and honestly try to unfriendly to someone like him who had minuscule effect on a majority of their lives. And even then Caramel wouldn't have cared; he would have just kept going, perhaps awkwardly tripping as he did so and giving you just another reason to smile around him, even if it was at him. These were all things of little real relevance, however, to the beige pony at present times. They were only lingering thoughts on his overall personality that others had to formulate about him. In that case was Lord Richington, Lady Bittybutter and Medowrush the waiter who was currently walking past him to pour tea with a crack of a smile in her face and wanting to shove cupcakes into their faces for being rich.
Caramel headed into the back wings he and the rest of the catering clowns had to use like the hidden headquarters for a band of party enthusiast ninja ponies. It was here that all the grime had to be shoved, since none of it could be in the sparkling halls. Steam poured out of the kitchen as the various chefs stewed stews and little fancies to keep the flow going as each waiter picked a tray. Their boss Myraidfield, a pony the staff joked was ironically always partying despite being as grey as stones, was always on site while walking around with a stern but not unforgiving face as he surveyed it all. He nodded to Caramel acknowledging and knowing whatever the stallion was doing, it was something right that he didn’t really need to be cautious of. The buzz was brief but everywhere as Caramel picked a tray of custard crumbles and zoomed back out with the rest of staff like a wave of ballerinas, taking any and all grudging remarks of those around him with a cheering comment of how Lady Squigglypants indeed needed better pants to make them snort and giggle like gossipers did.
Caramel strolled prideful around room, bowing and unintentionally hearing the public lives of other people. He’d forget all the details soon enough, but hold onto it just long enough to make fun of others. He liked his life, he would think as he trotted across the glistening clean floors. It was a decent life, one not many dreamed of but wanted the content it brought in him. His smiles were not painted, but tempered and earnest, boosted by the well-earned bit at the end of each day.
The beige pony soon found his tray empty. Well, the custard crumbles were divine after all, as Esquire Squirehoofy was saying to the countess of fake eyelashes. She rebutted with a riveting answer of ‘Ah yes, quite so, I shall recommend them to all of my good friends.’
Caramel sniggered a bit. He really needed to stop calling them funny names and poking fun. It wasn’t neighborly.
…hrm… neighborly. When had he started using words like that…
‘Oh right’ Caramel thought to himself with a little pleasant though.
The stallion retreated back to the side quarters for another plate, wondering how the sprinkle scones would fare in rivalry with the undefeated custard crumbles, when Bella joined him at the side. She was a pretty mare with a silky mane and a more golden tint to her coat than Caramel’s creamy brown, a silver bell on her flank. She liked Caramel because he made her laugh the most and had decided she was his BFF whenever he came to town.
“Caramel, I think some pony is here to see you.” she said, whipping some mane out of her face and holding back a giddy expression. She was always a bit giddy, but it was when she was trying to hide her giddiness that it looked giddier, just because she was getting giddy at trying to not get giddy.
“What? Who?” Caramel asked, pausing at the tray table out of the way of others. He learnt the hard way that standing still was very very bad with too many tumbles to note.
“I dunno. I just got a feeling that they might want to see you.” She said.
Caramel fixed her with a questioning glare “So some pony just rocked up and you ‘think’ they want to see me?”
“Uh-huh”
Caramel continued to glare, but nothing about Bella’s stature gave off any more clues as she tried to play innocent. He shook his head at her weird ways “Where?”
“In the back.”
Caramel lingered a bit longer out of doubt. It wasn’t out of the normal that some pony needed a hand or a direction where to put the various things they needed around. But Bella wouldn’t make such a fuss about it if it was just that. Surrendering to curiosity he slowly galloped through the steaming kitchens of hot food and through the back door where all the stock was piled up. The place was bleak and not exactly fun looking but it sure held cargo like a boss. A shipment had come in by the looks of things, so at least Bella wasn’t just lying. Caramel looked to the side of the crates for their contents.
Apples.
“Caramel.”
The beige pony looked up in a jerk to see a bright red coated stallion that was Big Macintosh standing near the boxes. His mane was stray gold as usual and his body stood firm about the ground in quiet confidence. A lazy smile was fitted on his warm face, almost sheepish, as he nodded in greeting.
“Mac? What are you doing here?”
“The apples”
Caramel looked dumbly down at apples in question as if they had committed a mysterious crime “Oh…yeah, right.” He said “You can leave them near the rest of the fruit over there” he pointed to a corner.
Another nod and the blazed thick build stallion easily pulled the cargo to its rightful place. He settled it down by the pears and bananas to make friends and unhinged the cart from his shoulders with a soft huff.
Caramel trotted nearer to him “Why’d you make a trip this late? I’m pretty sure the castle doesn’t need apples till tomorrow at least.” he enquired.
Big Macintosh seemed to ponder the question for a few seconds before answering “Missed you.”
Caramel quietly hoped that only some and not all the blood had rushed to his face “I’m coming home tomorrow you know.”
Mac shrugged with that smile turning from lazy to charming in a spit second. Well, the lazy smile was charming too but this one was just charming. His entire muscle clad body screamed charming at the poor defenseless Caramel, who was not one to dare leave it unnoticed or under appreciated “I just missed ya n decided I couldn’t wait.”
Caramel smiled back at him. Leave it to Mac to be the biggest sweetheart in such simple ways. He was probably the only pony Caramel would seriously consider trying to get off work early. “…Are you staying long?”
“Thought I’d spend the night over with ya, if you’ll have me”
“Oh…did you want to go out and see the town?” Caramel asked.
Mac shook his head slowly, the neck muscles flexing “Nah…just wanted to see you. You can flop on your hay as you get home for all I care as long as I’m there with you.”
Caramel looked down shyly. He wasn’t used to such direct affection yet. He promised himself and Mac early on he’d work it on. “Um…my shift ends in two hours, is all.”
“I won’t be a bother till then.” Mac replied. The stallion showed signs of not thinking the plan entirely through. On the other hoof, though, the stallion did not seem to have much of a problem with waiting.
“Well…” Caramel looked about uncertainly “We could always do with someone to help with carrying the heavy things around here. And cleaning up always needs a strong hoof.”
Mac nodded, undeterred by being given work to pass the time. That’s how he passed his days after all, working. Compared to toiling in fields and bucking at trees, small labours around the palace were just busywork.
The two paused at that moment. Caramel trotted closer to the other and gave him a long smiling nuzzle “Thanks for coming anyway…”
Mac’s bigger snout huffed gently against Caramels, his eyes trained to gaze in Caramel’s blue ones as they twitched together “Anytime Mel.”
Caramel lingered there, his snout pressed against his coltfriend’s with innocent glee as it shook, the gentle breaths wetting his face fur just a bit but everywhere. He closed his eyes, allowing himself the selfish pleasure of just standing there without a care for anyone else but Mac. He felt the larger stallion’s lips gently glide over his snout, and very smoothly steal a kiss a two that Caramel wouldn’t mind a second lengthy burglary of. “My boss will probably be happy I brought a free clean-up crewpony with me.” He giggled out. He then blinked and turned around “Oh horseapples, the boss. He’ll burn my hide if he thinks I’m out here slacking.”
Mac gave a soft amused chuckle and nudged his stallion off “Off ya go, Mel. I’ll be waitin right here.”
Caramel drove his snout into Mac’s neck for a moment, absorbing some of the heat and apple scented musk off the other to send a thrill over his body. He retreated back inside, hurriedly explaining the extra help to his boss who gave an approving nod and shooed him off to his duties with a quick waving hoof, which fell on another employee to question. The beige stallion was out in the glamorous hall again in his silly black and white bowtie and collar, with a tray balanced perfectly on his head. To many it would seem like nothing had changed but to some, they might notice a beige pony’s brilliant smile.
_ _ _
Caramel waved goodbye to the rest of the staff as they dawned their coats for the night as Caramel just swung a scarf around his neck. Mac was standing by the servant entrance waiting for him, not letting the other get in any chance to protest as he pressed a peck to the smaller stallion’s forehead in full view of the rest of them.
He heard the calls from inside, turning away from the encouraging wooping as he walked beside Mac. It was something he was used to now, and rather comfortable with. Well, walking with Mac, not being wooped at. They did it rather often when they had time together. Sometimes it was in silence, sometimes it wasn’t but it was always pleasant.
“Tired?” Mac asked as they left the castle grounds.
Caramel nodded and diving his snout back into the other’s comforting neck
“Gonna hit the hay?”
“Not if you don’t want me to.”
“Nah, the hay sounds good.” Mac said, nuzzling the beige stallion’s mane beneath his maw.
It did sound real good, through Caramel, the hay and a thick stallion to keep him warm. He kept close as the gentle breeze played on his tired hoofs.
Yes. Caramel liked his life. He liked it very much. He bet he liked his life a lot more than Lady Tangelo did as she boasted how much money her husband had. Because unlike her, Mac had come to the party without being asked while hers probably refused while she claimed he ‘had a business meeting’.
Caramel closed his eyes for a bit, as if he was already on that mighty fine sounding hay, and drifted off on cloudy hooves till he eventually landed curled against Big Macintosh.
(Fin)
