77.
“Yay! You made it!” Pinkie Pie yelled as she saw her daughter’s friends walk into the store. Crispin stepped back when Pinkie plowed into Apple Bloom. “Sprinkle Icing had been working at this party all morning. With a little help from me.”
Sprinkle Icing was decorating a cake as she looked at her mother and saw Crispin standing to the side. Her eyes widened as a smile spread on her face. She loved seeing Crispin; he always made her happy. “Mom… We have to get this ready before Dox and Silver come.” She waved to Crispin.
“Okay! Apple Bloom can you help me in the kitchen? I’m working on apple turnovers and you’re the best advisor on them.” Pinkie giggled as she pulled Apple Bloom into the kitchen.
“Crispin! Come here, I need you to see this.” Sprinkle Icing grinned as she put another rose on the cake she was decorating. Crispin walked over and looked at the cake. “What do you think?” she asked.
Crispin looked at it and looked at Sprinkle. “It’s beautiful.” He whispered.
She smiled with his answer. “Great! Thank you. I worked hard on it.” She looked up at him and saw he was staring at her. “Oh, do I have something on my muzzle?” She looked at her muzzle cross-eyed.
“Yep.” Crispin said and kissed her muzzle quickly and turned his face away as he felt his ears burning.
Sprinkle Icing blinked in surprise. “Crispin?”
He looked at her. “Hmm?”
She had a blush running over her cheeks. “You kissed me.” She whispered as she looked at him.
He nodded. “Yep. I’d do it again if ya want me to.”
Sprinkle was about to reply when the bell on the door rang. LillyRose and Zero walked in. “Lilly!” Sprinkle waved to her friend and Crispin blushed as Sprinkle turned her attention away from him.
“Sprinkle! Crispin! I’m so glad to see you two!” Lilly said as she went to them.
Sprinkle looked at Lilly. “Oh my goodness! You’re preggers!” She hugged Lilly and looked at Zero. “You’re the one…” She hugged him and Zero looked at her in shock and uncertainty.
Lilly smiled. “Yeah Zero is one of Dad’s guards. He’s also my husband. Zero this is my good friend Sprinkle Icing and that big shy unicorn there is Crispin Apple.”
Zero suddenly bowed to Sprinkle Icing and Crispin. “It’s a pleasure to meet friends of my lovely wife.”
“Oh, he’s so adorable.” Sprinkle Icing squealed.
Crispin just stood there sizing Zero up. Zero went over to Lilly and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Lilly when are you due?” Sprinkle asked.
“Well…” Lilly trotted over to her friend and they started to talk about foals and girl things. Zero went to a table and started to look at all the items upon it. Cakes, candies, treats and several snacks.
Crispin walked up to Zero. “How were ya able to do it?”
Zero looked at Crispin. “Excuse me?”
“Lilly can be very moody and she was notorious for being unable to keep a boyfriend past one date, how were ya able to accomplish what others couldn’t?” It was the most Crispin had said in a long time.
“Apparently those others didn’t know that Lilly is as beautiful inside as she is outside. She’s more than beautiful; she’s my love eternal. I know that doesn’t really answer your question but I know how I feel about her.”
Crispin nodded. “So ya ended up dating?”
“Well, um it is a little complicated. I was Lilly’s guard, and I kind of fell for her charms.” He smiled as if remembering. “So tell me about yourself and life in Ponyville.”
Crispin looked at Zero. “Um well, it’s Ponyville and I’m a unicorn, my ma is an earth pony. We live on Sweet Apple Acres.”
“Oh? I’m an earth pony.” Zero stated.
Crispin leaned over and looked at Zero’s wings. “Uh huh… ya don’t look like no earth pony.”
Zero blinked and suddenly flapped his wings. “Oh these, heh… Lilly gave them to me.”
The unicorn’s eyes widened. “She magiced them on ya? Oh! I need to learn that.” Crispin looked over at Lilly and saw her gesturing to Sprinkle about her pregnancy as she rubbed her swollen belly. He noticed that Sprinkle suddenly looked over at him and he blushed as he looked away.
“Crispin?” Zero asked.
He looked at Zero. “Yeah?”
“If you like Sprinkle so much you really should tell her.”
“Is it that obvious?” he asked. “Some pony I just met can see it. I’m afraid she’d reject me.”
Zero looked over at his wife and Sprinkle. “She definitely won’t reject you. That mare wants you.” Zero smirked. “Believe me. I’ve seen that look before.”
Crispin blinked. “Yer not the first pony to say that. Paradox said I should tell her too.”
“So what’re you waiting for?” Zero replied.
“I’m not good with my words.”
“My brother in law and I don’t always get along, but he’s right. So what’re you waiting for?” Zero replied. “Go up and tell her.”
Sprinkle came prancing over to them. “You two are being quiet. Lilly and I think that maybe you two are up to no good being quiet and whispering.”
Zero was surprised by the insinuation of being up to no good. “I’m a loyal guard, I am usually not up to no good.”
“Unless you are with me in bed.” Lilly said.
He blinked at Lilly as his ears turned red. “What? Lilly! Stop talking like that.” He put his head down as he felt his blush running over his face.
Crispin didn’t really say anything as he just stared at Sprinkle Icing. Zero suddenly nudged him in the side and Crispin stumbled forward. He stumbled up against Sprinkle muzzle to muzzle.
“Whoa Crispin are you ok?” Sprinkle Icing asked as she looked at him eye to eye.
Lilly saw how close Crispin and Sprinkle was. She looked at Zero who was smirking. “Oh.” She whispered as she went to Zero.
Crispin gulped as he stared at Sprinkle. “Sorry Sprinkle… I didn’t mean to bump into you.” He then moved back slightly, but before he could move too far away Sprinkle smiled and moved her muzzle up and kissed him. His ears perked up as his eyes widened in surprise he was about to step back when Sprinkle put her hooves around his neck as she kissed him deeper.
“What did I tell you?” Zero muttered as he and Lilly moved away to let Sprinkle and Crispin kiss.
Pinkie Pie and Apple Bloom walked out of the kitchen chatting when Pinkie noticed her daughter kissing Crispin. Her eyes widened and she squeaked when Apple Bloom placed her hoof over Pinkie’s mouth. “Don’t spoil the moment Pinkie.” She said.