Chapter Text
Shining Armor lay across the worn-out couch, dangling his legs back and forth as Twilight tried her best to sit on them.
“It’s not fair, Shine!” Little Twilight had just been dumped unceremoniously onto the floor for at least the sixth time and was deeply displeased about her seeming inability to climb Mt. Big Brother. “You’re stronger than I am!”
“C’mon, Twi, you got this. You know more magic than I do,” he replied as he leaned forward to peer over his knees at his little sister, who was pouting on the floor with her arms crossed. He suppressed a chuckle.
“What’s magic got to do with anything? It doesn’t help me stay on your knees.”
“Well—-“ He was interrupted by a rhythmic knock on the front door. “That’s your new babysitter.” Twilight’s eyes became round as saucers and her fists tightened around her bright blue notebook.
“Do you really have to open the door?” Twilight had been terrified of meeting her new babysitter ever since Mom had told her that Princess Celestia would be sending her niece over to watch Twilight. Twilight had never been a particularly social kid, even with other foals her age, let alone high school princesses, and she had been panicking the whole week. The family thought she would calm down in a few days, but when Shining Armor caught Twilight trying to cast an aging spell so that she wouldn’t need a babysitter, he finally offered to stay home with her. It was summer, after all. It wasn’t like he had to go to military school the next day. He wouldn’t be able to go to the bakery with his friends, but Twilight needed him more, social activities be darned.
“Yeah, I really need to open the door,” he replied with gentleness in his voice as he swept a strand of plum-colored hair behind her ear. He swung his legs over the side of the couch, causing it to creak. He held out his hand to her and grinned in that way that always made her feel safe. If Shining Armor could go and meet the intimidating Princess Cadance, so could Twilight. Twilight took his hand and he swept her up on his shoulders with ease. Sneaky Shining. Now Twilight had nowhere to hide.
Shining Armor slid to the door in his argyle socks, Twilight squealing with terror and delight. He stopped at the door and looked up at her, counting down from three with his fingers. On zero, he opened the heavy oak door.
~~~
He met a pair of lavender eyes framed by big round wire glasses. He blinked, the evening light painful after so many hours inside with Twilight.
“Hello! My name is Cadance. I’m supposed to babysit a girl named Twilight. Is she here?” Princess Cadance radiated gentle formality with a smile that caught Shining Armor off guard.
“Huh? Oh, yeah, I’ve got the kiddo right here,” he replied, recovering with ease as he squatted so Twilight could see princess Cadance past the doorframe. He felt Twilight’s tight grip on his hair relax a bit. Princess Cadance had a disarming nature. The princess smiled a sweet smile and held out her hand for Twilight to shake. Twilight tightened her grip on Shining Armor’s hair, but took Princess Cadance’s hand anyway.
“Hello, Twilight, it’s nice to meet you!” Twilight looked at the princess through her bangs and leaned down to whisper in Shining Armor’s ear.
“Ask if I can touch her hair.”
“Oh, of course, you can!” She smiled. Shining Armor put Twilight down, who approached Princess Cadance with the utmost caution. Twilight gingerly touched the princess’s swirls of pastel yellow and pink hair. It looked like cotton candy, Shining Armor thought. Twilight began to braid the princess’s hair, making messy plaits which Shining Armor knew enough about to be sure that getting them out would be a pain for the nice princess that night.
“Twilight, don’t—-“
“Oh, don’t worry, I don’t mind,” Cadance interrupted. “Are you her father?” Twilight giggled as Shining Armor panicked at being directly addressed.
“What? Oh. No, I’m-I’m her brother. Shine. Shining Armor.” Cadance shook his hand and smiled, ignoring whatever the heck that was.
“It’s lovely to meet you, Shining Armor. Are you going to be staying with Twilight?”
“Well, that was the pl—“
“No, I don’t need you anymore,” Twilight interjected with nonchalance for miles, not looking up from the braid she had tangled into the princess’s thick hair. “You can go now.” Shining Armor raised his eyebrows so high that Cadance was sure they would fly off his forehead.
“I—well—okay… I’ll be at Sugarcube Corner if you need anything. If you want any food, Twilight knows where it is. Thank you, Your Majesty.” He could see her grimace at the title, but she covered it up with a practiced grace that could only be earned from years in a courtroom.
“Will do! And please, call me Cadance.”
“All right. Cadance.” Shining Armor grabbed his coat from the hook and threw it on, shouting a goodbye through the door and escaping into the fading night before Twilight and Her Majesty, The Princess of Sister-Stealing Braidable Hair could notice the twinge of annoyance in his eyes.