//------------------------------// // ...To The Best Friends // Story: Coming Out // by Melody Song //------------------------------// "So... how best to do this?" Ocellus asked. Ocellus was standing with Smolder, Gallus, and Sandbar. They were at the school's library, hiding behind some bookshelves while watching their other friends. Silverstream was lying on her stomach on the carpeted floor, flipping the pages in a book with interest. Yona was lying beside her, drawing something in a notebook. "Just walk up and say it?" Sandbar suggested "Sorry Sandy, but I'm just not comfortable with that kind of... bluntness." Gallus nuzzled Sandbar, then ran a claw through his mane. "Yeah, because you're being so subtle about it, Gallus." Smolder deadpanned. Gallus pulled his claw away, flustered. "C'mon guys, we all agreed they're first up. And they'd be the first we'd tell even if they weren't the first names we wrote on that stupid list..." "Stupid?" Ocellus whispered "I-I mean... no, it's not stupid Celly... I just was..." Smolder sighed and her shoulders, usually held up with pride, sagged. "I'm sorry Celly... the list is great, I just... I'm just still not sure I want to do this..." "None of us are." Sandbar put in helpfully. "But we've got to. Miss Spitfire and Miss Fleetfoot were right, not telling someone is only gonna make it worse." "I know... but I'm..." "Yes?" Ocellus asked, looking up at her. "You can tell us." Sandbar added. "I... ugh... I'm nervous, okay?" "You? Nervous?" Gallus scoffed disbelievingly. "What about you? You're gonna have to come out too." Ocellus spoke up in Smolder's defense. "Aren't you nervous, Gallus?" "Pfft, please. I laugh in the face of nerves, ahaha." Gallus said, putting a fist to his chest and shaking his head back and forth to swing his feathers. "Funny. Let's just get this over with..." Smolder sighed "Seriously, what do you guys wanna bet this is gonna be the easiest one to do?" Gallus asked, looking between them. "Not much, you're probably right." Smolder replied, crossing her arms. "Mhm. I know we're all really nervous, but they are our friends. They'll support us no matter what, and they deserve to know." Ocellus told them "But... what if they don't support us?" Sandbar asked quietly "Then screw them, because they aren't the friends we thought they were." Gallus replied, nosing him. "Y'know, for someone who's about to out himself, you sound pretty confident." Smolder said, raising a brow. "Oh, great, am I pulling it off? Because I'm actually terrified." Gallus said. The girls giggled and Sandbar nuzzled him. "No, guys... I'm serious... I may need some cuddles after this, Sandy..." "Of course Gally." Sandbar nuzzled his cheek. Gallus chuckled and nipped him behind the ear. "Come on then... might as well just get it over with." Smolder led them out from their hiding place and they made their way over to the hippogriff and yak. "Oh, hey guys!" Silverstream said eagerly, getting shushed by some nearby ponies. "Oops, sorry. Hey guys!" "Hey Silver, Yona." Smolder greeted. "Hello friends." Yona said, at normal volume. "So... um, guys... we kind of... have something to tell you..." Ocellus began shyly, blushing. "Ooh, what is it?" Silverstream asked "Well, uh... you see... the thing is..." Ocellus took a deep breath, then blurted it out. "I'mlesbiananddatingSmolderokay?" "...Yona no understand friend Ocellus." Yona said after a minute. Ocellus blushed sheepishly. "Yeah...what did you say?" Silverstream asked Ocellus steadied herself and took a breath in, then let it out. Confidence suddenly built in her eyes and when she spoke, it was clear and calm. If not a bit quiet. "I'm lesbian and I'm dating Smolder." "And... Sandy-I mean... Sandbar and I are also dating..." Gallus added, placing a wing over Sandbar. Silverstream and Yona stared at them for a minute, then... "For how long friends together?" Yona asked "A-A while..." Ocellus admitted "Sm-Smolder and I got together a month or so after the Tree's test in the catacombs..." "Sandbar and I have been together since a little bit before our first Hearth's Warming at the School." Gallus said "Y-You're not mad or anything... are you?" Sandbar asked "No, of course not." Silverstream assured him, reaching out and grasping Ocellus' hoof. "Just... why'd it take you so long to tell us?" "We didn't mean to wait so long... we just... the longer we waited the harder it was..." Ocellus said softly. "And we wanted to tell you guys, it's just... we were still figuring things out ourselves..." Smolder added "And then we got used to keeping it a secret..." Gallus sighed. "But we knew we couldn't keep it to ourselves any longer... that's why we're telling you." Sandbar continued. "You guys are the first ones we've told, so... please... please say you're not upset or anything." Ocellus finished, ducking her head slightly. "Yona not upset... Yona only wonder why friends look so shy." Yona spoke "Heh... we were... admittedly... kind of nervous about telling you guys..." Sandbar said "Yeah... I see now we shouldn't have been, but still." Smolder said, smiling slightly. "Of course friends not need to be scared. If friends happy, Yona happy!" Yona exclaimed "Aw! C'mere guys, group hug!" Silverstream pulled Ocellus and Sandbar in, Yona joining. "Er, I don't know-ahh!" Smolder yelped as Yona grabbed her. "Ha! Looks like I-brawck!" Gallus squawked as Silverstream tugged him into the hug as well. "Heheh, just enjoy it you two." Ocellus said, leaning against Smolder. "Yeah, come on, it's not so bad, is it?" Sandbar asked, nuzzling under Gallus' wing. "I-I guess not..." Smolder grumbled, putting her arms around Ocellus, who giggled. "Y-Yeah..." Gallus agreed, wrapping his wing securely around Sandbar. "Aww!" Silverstream cooed. The two couples blushed and pressed close to their partners, smiling at the feeling of acceptance. The group all hugged fiercely. "If it helps... we weren't lying, you two are really the first ones we've told." Gallus offered up. "First? So, who are you gonna tell next?" Silverstream asked. "Our parents, we think." Ocellus said "You want our help?" Silverstream offered "Probably something we should do ourselves, but thanks Silver." Sandbar replied. "No problem. Yona and I will be here for you guys, if you ever wanna talk." Silverstream assured them.