Button turned to the right. He then walked all the way down the hall before turning left. He continued walking until he passed by a coffee machine. Although PI had more than one of these on his floor, he never liked the quality that it produced. He would prefer finishing up early for a cup at James than this.

Still, there would be times when he just couldn’t do that, and this was one of them. He pressed the ‘caffè latte’ button. The machine hummed and buzzed as it grinded the beans into tiny, fine granules and doused them with hot, filtered water. At the outlet, coffee and milk mixed together, producing a savory-looking yet not-quite-there-yet beverage.

Button was not here for this. This was only a pitstop to his final destination. He quickly gobbled the drink before continuing past the machine, arriving at a large office room.  Bolted onto the wooden door, was a shiny metal plate, on which were etched the names of the members of the hardware design team.

He entered stealthily, avoiding any noises that may be caused by creaky wooden floor or rusty door hinges. Thankfully, none of those existed as the floor was concrete and carpeted; and the hinges were well-lubricated.

There were tables arranged in a rectangular formation, allowing everypony to see each other, much like in a round table. On the far right corner of the arrangement, sat a light-brown unicorn typing something on the computer.

"Hey, <psst>, Jytter."

Jytter sighed. He knew who it was, and judging by the way he opened the conversation, he was starting to feel something frivolous coming his way.

"Go away. I’ve got no time for jokes."

"<psst>, Jytter, come on."

He tried hard to ignore the other stallion (or colt, by his judgement).

"I’m not listening."

"<pssssssssst>"

"WILL YOU BE QUITE ALREADY!," the brown stallion scolded in a hushed voice, "What do you want?!"

Button loved to agitate ponies, but he’d only do it if it doesn’t tick them off till eternity. Even he knows how to respect other pony’s limits.

"Where’s Flip Flop? She's not in today?" Button asked.

"The girls are all out to deal with their anger issues at the karaoke bar, just like after every other bureaucratic ECO that happens around here," Jytter replied in an annoyed tone. "Now if you could please leave me to my random test patterns, it would be much appreciated."

"Come on, man! You didn't go with them? You're so lucky to get four mares on the team. I'm surprised you guys haven't bon-" Button said before being harshly cut by the other stallion.

"Don't you dare finish that! And for your information, I am married with 2 children," Jytter replied, his visage harboring a deep sense of anger and irk.

"Alright, alright. Sheesh, I wasn't even gonna suggest that. Can't you take a joke or something?" Button said.

"Don't you have work to do? Get to it! Chop-chop! We only have 6 months!" Jytter replied, trying his best to shoo off the other team leader.

"Of course I do. I won't be here unless there is something I really need from you guys," the darker brown stallion said, trying to put an innocent facade up.

"Well, whatever is it do you need, then?" Jytter asked, his tone returning to normal.

"Flippy is in charge of designing the whole peripheral access design, so I was wondering if we could have the documentations. Need to write the drivers, you see," Button said, before mustering a huge eye. "Pretty please?"

Jytter put a hoof to his face, sighing. He muttered something under his breath, most probably cursing or something of the sort. "Don't ever attempt that again. You're not Sweetie, and that just makes you look..." the disgusted stallion said, searching hard for a word to describe the awkward expression.

"Okay..." Button said, his voice crestfallen.

Jytter was an old stallion. By comparison, he, Hex and Chequer were the oldest of them all: around their early forties, whilst the rest of the team were at best in their late twenties. He was a well-raised pony with a proper etiquette and certainly many experiences. He would definitely be an eligible butler candidate.

"Hey, Jytter, what’s it like to be... married?" he asked.

"I’m surprised that that is coming out of you. Are you trying to make a joke out of me?”

"You know, I’m not all childish. That’s just the way I act, you know?"

"You’re going to have to try and convince me better than that."

"Yeah, yeah. But seriously. I’m asking in all my juvenile honesty. What’s it really like to be married to somepony else?" Button asked again.

"Well little one, to me, being a couple was already like being at the height of the relationship. We were practically inseparable. It shouldn’t be a big deal if we were to get married, right?"

"Looks to me like it shouldn’t.”

Jytter laughed softly. "Nope. It was a completely big deal. I remember when my wife was so sick, she became an intolerable horse. I wanted to just get up and leave right then and there. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t, because I swore to be with her in all kinds of weather. I swore to protect her. Being married is really about striving to be together in face of everything. And with every trials and tribulation, I felt my love for my wife grow stronger and stronger. I couldn’t have regretted any less being married to her. The kids are the best part."

"But isn’t it the same as saying the oath, but still not get married?"

"I can’t put it into words, but there is a sentiment that you can only feel when you do it that way. Believe me, I’ve promised my wife the same thing before we were married, and yet it felt like the first time I actually said it during the ceremony. If there’s anything I can advise you, it is to not wait for too long. Some feelings wither away if you don’t do what’s right."

Button thought about this wisdom. True, he had feelings and he had tried to express them to her before. He knew that she knew what he felt for her, but he didn’t know what she felt for him. Judging by the way she didn’t shy away when they were together all this time, he assumed that she somehow felt the same way, too. The feeling was mutually one-sided; it was incomplete. But Button wasn’t brave enough. He wasn’t like Sig Sauer.

"Thanks Jytter. That was something alright," Button said.

"Always a pleasure to share some experience," the old stallion replied.

"You and I should hang out at the karaoke bar sometimes.”

"You know what? I'll send those documents over in a minute. Now shoo," Jytter said affirmatively, raising a hoof pointed towards the exit.

"Thank you very much, Jytter," he said in a sing-song voice. "Although I still think that you should be hanging out with the girls and try to bon-"

"BEGONE WITH THEE!"

"Don't forget to lock the doors when you leave, Sweetie!" Pos Edge said.

"Wait, you’re leaving already?" Sweetie Belle asked, taken somewhat aback by the fact that one of her designers was leaving work so soon. The clock pointed to somewhere before 5 pm.

“Yeah. Something’s the matter?” the blue pegasus asked.

“But we barely did any work today. Jytter’s the only one who’s accomplished something today,” Sweetie said, trying to convince her teammate to rethink her action.

"Look, I get our ordeal, but tonight is movie night. No compromises whatsoever."

Pos Edge, Flip Flop and Lisp were best friends ever since university. They attended the University of Trottingham together. Having spent their whole undergraduate and postgraduate life in a trio, it was no wonder that they were inseparable.

But one thing to acknowledge about them was that they can be quite stubborn and persistent. The package does come with a plus, but today, it was more towards the minus. And make that two.

“Alright, fine...” Sweetie said in defeat.

“Chequer’s still here, in any case. Well, see ya tomorrow,” Pos Edge said cheerfully, before turning around and walking towards the elevator, just around the corner from the coffee machine.

“Guess I shouldn’t have suggested karaoke. Damn it!” Sweetie said.

She didn’t feel like working, too. After having poured out all her energy in a vocal form, she was exhausted. Still, she was determined to stay as late as possible today to make up for the wasted investment in trying to bring her motivation up. She decided that tea was a good way to get her up and started.

The kitchen was just behind the door next to the coffee machine. The floor was designed to be in the shape of a square ring, although the actual topology was not as ideal: what with office rooms that were out of proportion with the floor’s footprint. Upon exiting the elevator, the hardware design office was to the right, and the software design office to the other side of the building from the latter.

She trotted past some colleagues from the thermal department, saluting them. The floor was mainly responsible for all the design work. Other than them, there were packaging, ergonomics, mechanics and whatnot. Slowly making her way to the kitchen, she wondered about how lucky they were to not have to work overtime.

Finally, she arrived at the kitchen door. She pushed it open to find Hex and Chequer sat around the table, laughing over some cookies.

“And then he said ‘Cover your heads everybody!’” Hex said.

Chequer looked like she was trying hard to stifle a laugh. “Then they found out that the guy had left them all a lifetime supply of ice cream,” he continued.

“What flavor was it?” Chequer asked, failing to hide her screwed-up face big time.

“Boot to the head!” They both burst into a laughing fit.

“Hey. Sorry for butting in on your little sketch there.”

“Hey Sweetie. Not a problem. Care for some Famous Haymous?” Chequer asked.

“Thanks. I’m gonna make myself some tea first,” Sweetie replied. She strolled over to the cupboard to find some leaves and a mug.

“Had a good time singing? Chequer told me what you girls did this afternoon. I wonder how Box let you all pass just like that. He’d probably go Poninator if he caught you,” the stallion said.

“Well, there are perks to being a team leader,” Sweetie said, feeling somewhat proud.

“Better watch out then. You won’t want to be thrown out before getting paid.”

The leaves were placed inside an infuser, along with some other herbs and seeds. Sweetie put two cubes of sugar in the mug and poured some hot water. She let the mixture brew for some time. Steam slowly slithered out of the surface of the water, denoting the lazy, laid-back mood of the evening.

“I don’t plan to anyway,” she replied. “Not that I care right now,” she added lamely.

“Got something on your mind, sweetheart?” Chequer said.

“No, it’s nothing,” Sweetie said.

“You know you can talk to us, Sweetie. We’d be glad to help,” Hex said, before turning to face his wife. “Right honey?”

“Of course! Anything for our team leader,” Chequer added.

Hex and Chequer were married just before Sweetie joined Pegasus Instruments. Hex was a family stallion: he valued his family over everything else. Chequer was a well-mannered mare, but could be wild at times, especially when something piques her interests. Together, they make a nice, calm and friendly couple: the kind whom you could talk to about certain things.

“It’s kind of... complicated,” Sweetie Belle whispered, shrugging at the uneasiness of the situation she was in.

She hadn’t told much about her life with her sister in Ponyville, opting instead to keep in as much in the dark as possible. The tragedy had left a scar in her psyche: one that she wanted to hide and forget.

“Well, then try and make it simple,” Hex said.

“It’s about somepony who betrayed me, but that pony was wrong. She was wrong in every part of her accusation...” Sweetie said, before pausing. “It’s about my sister.”

“Oh, dear. I’m sorry to hear that, Sweetie,” Chequer said.

“It’s okay. Though it happened a long, long time ago. Somepony reminded me about it today,” Sweetie replied, still looking gloomy. “I’ve been feeling off the whole day because of that.”

She took a sip from her mug.

“Have you talked to her about it?” Chequer asked.

“No, I’ve never seen her ever since she left Ponyville,” Sweetie replied.

“Well, why not go and visit her?” Hex offered.

“No! I- I can’t! That’ll just make her angrier!”

“Sweetie, something’s not right. If she was wrong, and you never did what she thought you had done, why would she be angry?”

“I don’t know, but I have a feeling that if I see her again, she would be that way,” Sweetie said.

“Well, engineers never leave it up to uncertainty to guide their life. We can come with you if you want,” Hex said.

“Thanks, but I’ll think about it. Now’s just not the time for this,” Sweetie replied.

“Whenever you’re ready, Sweetie. Whenever you’re ready.”

Sweetie continued to drink her beverage. She then took a cookie. Famous Haymous wasn’t like James: it had extra chocolatey goodness and it’s texture was hard and crunchy. James was soft, sweet and the chocolate was compact: full of homemade goodness. Famous Haymous, however, was a commercial brand.

“Zhish ish not bad. Where zhid you buy zhish?” Sweetie asked while savoring the bite-sized treat.

“Oh, I bought it at the plaza. I keep some just in case Hexy gets hungry,” Chequer said.

“Aww, how thoughtful of you, sweetheart,” Hex said, returning his affection with a gentle nuzzle.

“Oh, brother, this is awkward,” Sweetie said, looking away from the public (albeit being the only other pony in the room) display of affection.

Chequer chuckled. “You’ll understand when you get married one day. Don’t forget to invite us to your ceremony,” she said.

“I’ll be sure to remember that.”

“So, do you have a special somepony?” Hex asked.

Sweetie froze. A special somepony she had, indeed. But it was a well-kept secret that not even the special somepony knew, or so it seemed. She could only guess that he felt the same way about her as she does about him.

She didn’t want to become a piece to be matched with, so she opted to digress. “Yeah, I think I’ll get back to work now,” she said, hesitant.

“Ahah! I smell something fishy,” Chequer said, “Come on, we won’t tell.”

“Nope, I’ll pass,” Sweetie replied sternly.

“Oooh, I can’t wait to tell the others about this-”

“You just said that you won’t tell anypony!” Sweetie exclaimed in disbelief.

“Sorry Sweetie but you know I love to talk about these things,” Chequer said, excited.

“Come on, honey, don’t bother her,” Hex said. “Don’t worry Sweetie, your secret is safe.”

“Thanks Hex,” Sweetie said.

“Oh I am going to figure this one out. Don’t you worry,” Chequer said with a grin. The composed mare-turned-detective was beginning to worry her. She would have to measure every actions and words after this, lest risk being exposed to the public.

But deep in a quite, lonely corner of her heart, Sweetie actually wanted that to happen.