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"Ah, yer Highness, but you've left out a key piece of Frost's intention in 'Dust of Snow' -- the ending reconciliation with the narrator's understanding of life and death," Trouble pointed out, almost off-handedly. "The snow an' the hemlock tree are meant to be 'bout death, sure, but that some part of the rued day bein' saved by th' beauty of nature, and the natural way that death shines light onto the beautiful qualities of life." He finished easily, only to look over and shift uncomfortably at the gobsmacked expression Twilight was sending him.

 "...What? Aw, shucks, did I mess up again?"    

"Wha-" Twilight sputtered, nearly dropping her own collection of Frost's poetry and prose in her shock. "No! No, not at all!" She assured the stallion in front of her, before sheepishly admitting, "I suppose I just... wasn't expecting that."     

Troubleshoes gave a weary smile that seemed a bit too heavy to truly be a smile at all. 'Oh, no worries, Princess," he assured her quietly. ".....No one ever expects much outta me nohow."

Twilight frowned. 

Quickly shaking the flustered pink from her cheeks, she quickly donned her very best prim-and-official-Princess-Of-Friendship grin. She seized Trouble's massive hoof with her own tiny ones. "Well, Mister Troubleshoes Clyde-" She started, "That's not a mistake I plan on making twice."

Trouble glanced down at their joined hooves, then at the alicorn's determined face- and felt a warm, funny feeling bubbling up within, not unlike the time he'd left grits boiling on the stove top and come back to find his house had burned down. It was approximately as terrifying, anyway.

"I.....uh.....I-I had some more thoughts on Frost's other works.....if yer keen on discussin’, Princess.”

Twilight smiled up at him, sweet and just a little shy- and Trouble understood that his heart, much like his grits, was doomed.

~~~~

dialogue partly/mostly by Colbyr. sorry to be slow lately, i've been sick. not covid (i actually just got the vaccine), just a hormone issue that should ease up in a few days. might as well finish up some WIPS in the meantime amirite

trouble first dated discord, then got involved with twilight. he was around for a good stint of Pandora's childhood, and to this day Panny adores her "Pa"~

fyi "grits" are a breakfast porridge made from cornmeal, for my peeps not from the american south