He’s close enough to taste the sweetness of his breath, to catch the warm scent of his mane. There’s still a light sheen of sweat at his neck and upper chest and the desire to just reach out and touch him becomes nigh-on all-consuming.

"I, uh…" But staring into his beautiful blue eyes steal away whatever words you might have been about to say.

"I’ll just take that as a ’yes’," he whispers breathily, his lips agonisingly out of reach of your own.

Slow are Shining’s movements when he stands back up. Muscles ripple across his toned body but his mane and tail look as soft as ever. You’re given a sample of just how soft the latter is when the stallion whips around, thick tail swishing across your face – his scent is far stronger there, more masculine. If you weren’t sitting you’d have fallen back.

With the smooth movements of someone well practiced in these arts, he reaches across the desk and retrieves the purple wrap he’d been wearing earlier. Two small clasps—like the small plate on his chest—in the shape of his cutie mark affix it to his hips. They’re only in place when he starts moving again; slow, sensual, shifting his weight from hip to hip and swishing his tail just a little each time.

His hooves clop-clop-clop softly on the wooden floor as he turns about, sashaying closer to the pile of cushions upon which you sit. Ears pricked up and forward, his eyes are shut but his lips curled back in a smile. He halts in turning to wend his body back and forth, his stomach and chest moving almost in lazy waves. All those years of training have clearly paid off – not only does he bare the obvious strength of a guard, his body is suitably supple, his movements graceful and easy.

Lift, turn, then slowly does his leg come back down, coming to the floor with a muted clop. The wrap around his waist does little to hide his modesty and the thin pair of panties under them do even less. And that’s to say little of the glimpses of his rump you’d chanced before he turned around.

Music drifts up from the market outside, mingling together into something that sounds strange but puts you in mind of a different melody. A slower one. Swelling as Shining steps closer to you, the notes elongating as he lifts a leg and draws it across your body. He never once appears off-balance and his smile grows visibly as he rights himself, turning around again to expose his back and rump.

You’d never truly had a chance to admire his physique like this – the graceful curve of his behind, his long, toned legs, those arms that looked so strong and secure and his back… well, as well cared for as any other part of him. But it’s amazing how much his mane looks like that of a mare’s from this angle, with what he’s wearing and how he’s moving; a softer side to him that few ever saw.

He shakes his rump, fanning his tail out around his behind and continues moving, though you’re sure from the once or twice he turns his head, that he’s smiling widely. You’re sue you are, too, grinning the kind of stupefied grin that comes from getting what you’ve always wanted.

And just like that, the stallion starts moving back towards you. His hips shake from side to side as he lowers his body, lifting his arms above his head. Shining’s tail sways as he shakes his hips in long, agonisingly slow motions. He moves back up, fluidly, in time to that music only you two can hear. Hooves carrying his weight so easily, he circles around to you and advances.

From this vantage he’s close enough to touch and so emboldened by the performance and the high from the sight, you reach out and put a hand to his leg. Shining touches it, holding you there as he sways. He smiles down, opening his eyes and cocks his head back. You shake yours nervously, trying to push yourself back into the cushions but the satllion’s having none of it – with easy strength, he pulls you up to your feet.

Without realising that you had lifted it to meet his, Shining takes your other hand and draws you out into the floor with him. He has eyes only for you, never looking down to your missteps and not once laughing at your follies.

But somehow, in spite of your nerves, you begin to move with him. It’s still uneasy, still taking some deal of focus on your part but watching him so intensely, anticipating how he’ll move, you start to keep up with him.

"There you go," he says, closing his eyes, "just follow me."

Follow, as he leads you further out into the room, making a track around it. His eyes fall shut again as Shining moves just a little closer to you and you slide your arms up along his. You let your eyes fall shut and enjoy the moment, the closeness, the warmth that radiates from him and is palpable even against the humidity of the day.

How much longer you stayed like that you’d never be able to say, nor would you wish to. Those moments, swaying with him, more than once feeling your bodies bump together, were some you’d treasure.

But it was only a matter of time before you, both of you with your eyes shut, would run into trouble. The bed, so pristine and undisturbed, was quite suddenly thrown into disarray as the two of you fall onto it – you first as it hits the back of your knees, and Shining quickly after as you try to grab onto him for support.

You fall on your back, Shining nearly hitting you but the stallion catches himself just before doing so. You’re the first to start laughing, in spite of your attempts to stop yourself. Shining follows suit, the sound far sweeter than any music you’ve ever heard.

But it was never going to last long, not with the two of you so close. In spite of yourself, your arms come around his lower back and he brings his to either side of your shoulders.

Once more, you close your eyes and only through focusing on the sensuality of the moment do you keep them shut as you realise Shining moves down to meet you as you raise your head.

The kiss is sweet and tender, his lips warm bit firm and your hands on his back go limp as the stallion takes control. Not that you were ever anything but under his spell. Not that you could ever do anything to resist this.

His taste is exquisite, the way his mane tickles at your cheeks, perfection.

But even through all that, in spite of getting exactly what you’ve wanted for so, so long, one thought cuts clearly through your mind.

Cadance.

It’s so tempting to just keep going, keep enjoying this. And you could. You could slip your arms around him and pull him close, not letting it end.

But he’s your friend and you owe him better than that.

So it’s with more than a little disappointment that you break the kiss and gently push Shining away from you. Surprise flashes in his eyes and then something resembling hurt. More than anything else, it’s something you feared happening.

"Shining," you start, in a quiet, warning tone, "we can’t."

He looks at you in confusion, still resting on his arms. "What?"

"We can’t do this." Every word makes your stomach twist up. "Alright? What about… about Cadance?"

For a moment longer, the stallion looks down at you and then promptly rolls onto his side and erupts into laughter. It’s not cruel or spiteful, no the laugh of a stallion who knows he’s cheating on his wife and doesn’t give a damn. It’s raucous, carefree and for the briefest moment you feel buoyed.

"Cadance?" he asks when he’s finally caught his breath. "Cadance? Oh-Oh wow, I can’t believe I didn’t tell you!" He continues chuckling but a light redness touches his cheeks. "Well, no, I can. Think we both know I can be an idiot sometimes."

Shining sighs and twists about, propping himself up on an elbow. The hope that blossoms in you is tentative and delicate.

"Remember I said… Ah, I can’t believe I’m even saying this!" And you can’t find your voice to tell him to please just tell you it’ll all be okay. "Okay, look, it might not have been those kinds of shows I was talking to Cadance about." He sighs and his smile turns wistful. "I know stallions doing… that, y’know, doing what I was doing isn’t really uncommon here. And…" He trails off, casting his eyes upwards. "And I was only half joking when I suggested it."

"So?" you ask, your voice having finally returned but still strained.

"And she was okay with it." He says that plainly, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "She’s the Princess of Love! Of course she’d be okay with ’embracing new types of love you haven’t considered before’." He mimics her, the way his voice goes so soft and feminine proving more enticing than it should be in this moment. "Except it wasn’t really new. I mean, sure, I hadn’t considered it that seriously before but…" He trails off again, looking away from you.

You turn onto your side, drawing your legs up onto the bed and watching his face intently. "But you’d thought about it enough that you wanted to try it?"

"Yeah." His voice turns wistful again. "I don’t think anypony really understands how supportive she is; how loving she is." He shakes his head and the thick locks of his mane come tumbling down. "I don’t think even I really understood until then."

"So…" You start putting the pieces together. "That’s what all this was? You were putting some feelers out, or something, to see if there were any guys interested?"

"It wasn’t like that!" He says, recoiling at the severity of his tone. "Sorry." He sidles over to you, drawing himself up onto the bed proper. "It wasn’t. It really was just a bit of fun, at the start. But then I saw the way those stallions were looking at me and, y’know." He looks you with those gorgeous blue eyes. "It was nice. But there was something missing." He reaches over, touching your side. "C’mon, you think I really didn’t notice anything back home? Or that Cadance didn’t see it?" He nickers, moving closer again. "I’d say half the royal guard can see it."

You try to back away from him but his grip is firm, not holding tight enough to hurt you but just keep you there. "So what? Nothing wrong with looking, right?" But that doesn’t change the sinking feeling of guilt in your stomach.

"Exactly. That’s all you did." He tugs at your side but you remain where you are. "You could’ve given in and tried to do something. Not that I would’ve gone along with it!"

"Whaddaya call this, then?" But you can’t quite feel guilty about the sharpness in your tone.

"Hey?" He tugs at you again. "Hey." His voice is so soft, so calming. You’d said that he wasn’t a liar and you knew that with all your heart. So, this, all of this, can’t be a lie, it can’t be deceit or a cruel trick.

You shift closer to him, just a little.

"I’m not saying it’s exactly what you want it to be." You start to look away from him but he catches your cheek, pulling you back around to look at him, at those blue eyes that show only comfort and kindness. "And I can’t make any promises but I can tell you that I enjoyed what we were doing, alright? I can tell you that Cadance knows, she’s okay with me just experimenting a little to test the waters." He moves closer again, putting his arm around you; the gentle strength is as comforting as his words. "And if you want this too then y’know, just talk to her." He smiles. "Because I know you like her. You know she’ll understand. Maybe…" His smile turns just as devious as before. "Maybe we can try something else."

"But for now?" you ask, extending your arm around him.

"Why don’t we pick up where we left off?" Next Chapter: Encore Estimated time remaining: 7 Minutes