//------------------------------//
// Truth Slips Out 
// Story: An Unconventional Challenge 
// by RaijingtheClockworkPony 
//------------------------------//

	Bubble Berry placed a tray of fresh cupcakes on the counter as he watched the yellow pegasus sitting at a small corner table in the bakery. He admired the way she seemed to have grace with every action, even simple ones like eating a smoothie, or smiling and waving. The pink stallion returned the wave and beamed at her. The last few weeks had been the best of his life, and everypony around him had noticed. His smiles had been brighter, his jokes funnier, and his ability to defy the laws of nature even more bizarre. 

The reason was simple, Mr. Cake, the skinny yellow stallion that owned the place, watched from the kitchen doorway with a small chuckle. His employee was in love, and deeply to boot. The elder stallion chuckled and spotted his wife, a plump mare of light blue, walking towards him. 

"Honey, we have orders to fill. Why are you just standing there?" She asked while picking up an empty tray from the display case.

Mr. Cake pointed to the pink stallion then to the mare sitting in the corner. "Berry is in love with that shy mare that comes in a lot."

The blue pony looked over to Fluttershy and then to Berry. "He is. I heard they are dating." She smiled to her husband and walked over to him. "Remember when we were that young?"

"It wasn't that long ago." The stallion chuckled and kissed his wife on the cheek. "Young love."

The pair shared a smile and watched Berry work hard as the mare watched him. Mrs. Cake giggled as the pink stallion glanced over to them and blushed lightly and continued working. 

"He reminds me of you." The blue baker smiled and nuzzled her husband. 

A moment passed and the two ponies looked at each other, their faces becoming worried. Mr. Cake cleared his throat and gave a weak chuckle. 

"Time for the talk?"

"Time for the talk."

The yellow stallion nodded. "Got it. So, go finish the order in the kitchen while I handle this?" 

"Good luck." Mrs. Cake kissed her husband one more time before she walked into kitchen, leaving the stallion in the doorway. 

The baker took a few steps forward and cleared his throat. "Berry. Can I talk to you for a moment?"

The pink pony nodded. "Sure, just let me finish cleaning the counter." 

Mr. Cake moved towards the office of the bakery, and waited near the door until he spotted the pink stallion walking towards him. He motioned for the stallion to come close and then quickly checked the front counter. Seeing no customers, he returned his gaze to Berry. 

"Whatcha want to talk about boss?" Berry quipped cheerfully. 

"I wanted to talk to you about a few things."

Berry nodded and smiled at the older stallion. "Sure thing Mr. Cake." 

"Well um..." The older stallion paused, swallowing as he tried to think of the words needed. "You are at the age where mares are very interesting to you now."

"Mares have always been interesting." Berry smiled. "Everypony is interesting in their own little ways." 

The innocent smile made the Cake nod. "Well, yes, but I meant in a different way. Like how I find Mrs. Cake interesting." 

"I thought you loved her?" Berry turned his slightly, confusion crossing his brow. 

The yellow stallion rubbed the bridge of his nose and nodded. "Right, no subtlety." He looked to the pink pony before him. "I noticed you and the lovely mare out in the dining room sharing smiles. You like her right?"

The smile bounded back to the face of the pink pony and he nodded rapidly. "Of course! She's pretty, nice, and super-duper cute." 

Carrot Cake chuckled and gently stopped the stallions nodding. "Great to hear.” The elder stallion let Berry’s head go. “Now... also know that at your age, you have certain um..." He shuffled. "Interest in actions with her, which you might want to try."

Berry tilted his head once more. "Like kissing?"

A sigh passed from the lips of the older stallion. "Well, yes." He shuffled and motioned for Berry to enter the office. Once inside he closed the door, and sat at the small desk. "Look, I know that you are a really smart stallion, a bit reckless at times, but smart. I want you to be safe when you date Fluttershy. She's a good girl, and you're a great guy." 

The stallion held up his hoof to keep Berry quiet, and was amazed it worked. "I knew a mare that made a mistake when she was your age. It cost her a lot, and though she is happy now, the mistake was a heavy trial for her." 

"Who was it, and what did they do?" Berry asked, shuffling in his place. "She didn't eat ten triple fudge brownies without milk did she?" 

"She was in love, and thought she was ready to take a step in their relationship, but once they did, the stallion left her, and well... she got pregnant from it." Carrot Cake leaned back and sighed. "You've met her, and her daughter several times."

The pink pony tapped his temple as his face scrunched in thought. A moment later his eyes snapped open and the face of the younger pony brightened up. 

"Derpy and Dinky!" He smiled but it fell after a moment. "She had sex with her coltfriend then he ditched her? What a jerkface!"

"Well, the foal was Sparkler, but yeah, the stallion was a jerk." Mr. Cake nodded. "Still, she has a good life now, but..." He sighed gave the stallion a fond look. "Berry, you've been our tenant for years, and you've become like a son to Cupcake and I. We don't want you to make a mistake, but we want you to be happy as well." He smiled to Berry. "I won't tell you that you and Fluttershy can't be together, or do what you will... but please, be safe, and be smart."

Berry smiled back fondly, and walked over to the stallion. "You got it." He hugged the stallion tightly. "I like being in this family. You and Mrs. Cake are amazing parents." 

The pair hugged for a moment. Carrot Cake chuckled. "Well, I hope I gave this talk well, because I'll have to give it one more time when Pound and Pumpkin get older." He chuckled for a moment then moved to the door of the office. "Well, that's it mostly. Use a condom or whatever you two can. Just... be safe, okay?"

"I promise." Berry walked out of the office and moved back to the counter. 

The rest of his shift passed far to slowly for the stallion, but once it ended he ran to the table where Fluttershy sat. The yellow mare gave a small squeak of surprise at the rather sudden appearance of her coltfriend next to her. 

"Ready for our date Flutters?"

The mare took a moment to control her breathing, and nodded. "I am." 

"Perfect. Where we going?" Berry kissed the mare on the cheek and sat next to her. 

Fluttershy blushed as she spotted the Cakes watching them, smiling and whispering to each other. "Well, we could go to the park and enjoy the scenery. Once we do that, we could come back here and cuddle with each other, like we have done before."

The pink smiled and kissed the mare on the cheek, then beamed at her. "Sounds like the perfect date to me."

The pair shared a giggle and Fluttershy offered her stallion a sip of her milkshake. Berry accepted and nuzzled her after he took a mouthful of the minty sweetness, and unbeknownst to the stallion, some of the shake dribbled onto his chin. The yellow mare spotted this and wiped it away and giggled at the stallion. 

"You always make a mess. How do you manage to stay clean everyday?"

Berry chuckled. "Years of practice."

The couple shared another laugh and made their way to the exit, stopping for a moment to wave to the Cakes as they walked out. 

Mrs. Cake turned to her husband. "So... how did it go?" 

"He considers us to be family, and thinks I'm a great father." Mr. Cake nuzzled his wife with a proud smile and he chuckled. "Oh, and he promised to be safe with Fluttershy."

The married couple smiled to one another, and looked out the window to catch the last glimpse of their tenant and his marefriend before they turned the corner. The younger couple made their way to the park and walked slowly, the mare giggling as Berry placed head on her shoulder, and nuzzling into her warm, soft fur.

"How do you get so soft?" 

The mare blushed and giggled as the breath of the pink stallion tickled her neck. "Well, I use shampoo... and years of practice."

Berry chuckled and gave the mare a kiss on the cheek. He watched her blush at his public display of affection, and noticed that a passing mare smiled to them both as they walked by. The stallion turned back to the embarrassed mare and smiled to her. In silence he guided her to a small portion of the park that was between a pair of hedges, creating the perfect small nook for couples to sit in peace. 

The ponies laid down in the evening rays of sunlight, and Berry rolled onto his back, basking in the warm rays. Fluttershy giggled as the stallion next to her lolled his tongue out and let out a long, happy sigh. 

"You must be tired from working all day." She laid down next to him.

Berry gave a small nod and grinned to the mare. "A little, but it's so much fun to work there that you never really notice."

Fluttershy nodded and cuddled up to the stallion, rolling onto her side and hugging him lightly. The stallion's smiled grew wider, and he moved closer to the mare. They rested in the open air, the rays of the sunlight warming their fur, and the feathers of the pegasus. The simple act of being together was enough for the couple. 

The warmth of the sun slowly began to wane, the time blurring as the pair talked about the clouds, watched the pegasai fly by, and finally they fell quite as the evening wore on. Fluttershy looked up to the sky to see that the evening was quickly approaching then over to the stallion she was with. She was surprised, but amused, to discover that Berry had fallen asleep. She sat up and stretched her legs, and her wings with a soft flap. 

"Berry, it's getting late." She turned to her companion, and spotted a small dribble of drool going from his wide open mouth to the grass. She giggled and moved closer to him. 

He let out a snore and muttered something unintelligible. The yellow mare gently poked him as she spoke a little louder. "Berry, wake up, if you don't mind I mean..."

The stallion snorted and sat up, his mane poofing to nearly twice it's normal size. "Whus goin' on?"

The pegasus fought the urge to laugh and began fixing the stallions mane. "It's getting a little dark; we need to head back to your home... I can stay the night right?"

Berry yawned and nodded. "Yeah, you can stay. You and I are sharing my bed..." Another yawn left the stallions mouth. "We need to be a little quiet though... we don't want to wake the twins."

Berry stood up and smiled and offered his hoof to the mare. Fluttershy took it and they began their trip back to the bakery. They walked along the streets, the lights of the shops and streetlamps keeping them company. 

"Hey Berry?"

"Yeah Fluttershy?"

The mare kissed him on the cheek. "I'm really happy we are dating now."

"Me too." The stallion blushed and smiled to her. 

Fluttershy rested her head on his pink shoulder. "I can tell you anything, right?"

The pink stallion nodded. "Of course."

"And, you would tell me anything?"

The stallion nodded once more. "Absolutely."

Fluttershy smiled and let out a small hum of happiness. "We can be open to each other. No secrets between us."

The pink stallion stumbled for a moment and came to a halt, the ground beneath his hooves screeching as he stopped. Fluttershy stumbled pasted the stallion and looked back to him. The stallion bit his lip and began rubbing his neck. 

"Berry, is something wrong?"

The stallion gave a small cough and looked up to the sky. "Um... kinda sorta maybe..." 

Crap... no secrets but the bet... if she finds out I am a single stallion again, and worse, I will lose my friend! He shuffled and kicked a small pebble nearby as the mare walked closer to him. 

Fluttershy gently took his hoof into her own and moved his face so they locked eyes. "Berry... is there something you want to tell me?"

He swallowed and felt sweat breaking out all over his body. His eyes were locked to the mares, and he felt his brain go fuzzy as he tried to think. Think! I can't lie to her, I love her and lying is wrong... He nodded slowly and bit his lip. 

"Remember how I said I have had a crush on you since I first saw you?"

The mare nodded, unsure where this was leading. 

"Well... um..." He swallowed. Now or never... do it! He let out a small breath. "Well, I asked you out because of a bet... but let me explain before you get mad!" 

"For... a bet?" Fluttershy's eyes widened and she took a step back. "So... all of that was a lie?"

The stallion nodded and his ears pinned backwards. "Well... yes to the bet, and no to the lie." He cast his gaze to his hooves as he sat down on the curb. "I only took the bet because I couldn't build up the courage to ask you out. I always stopped myself because I was so worried and scared you would say no."

The stallion swallowed after taking a small breath. "I needed somepony to hold my hooves to the fire, to force me to do it, because I was too much of a coward to do it without that sort of motivation."

He looked up for a moment and saw the mare staring at him, her expression in disbelief at what she was hearing. He waited for her to speak, but when she merely shuffled he continued. 

"I really really really really do love you, and I wouldn't be telling you this if I didn't trust you, and love you. I want to be your special somepony, but I can't do that if you don't trust me as well..."

The mare grabbed his chin and slowly lifted his head up, and he found himself looking right into The Stare. He felt his body freeze and he began to panic. He had never seen Fluttershy use The Stare on her friends before.

"Tell me everything." 

The stallion felt himself nod and spoke in a shaky voice. "Well, a few years ago you walked into Sugar Cube Corner and when I sa—"

Yellow hooves moved to his mouth and stopped him. Her Stare intensified. "I know that part. I meant the bet. Tell me about the bet."

Berry nodded and waited for her to remove her hooves. She sat down and let his muzzle go, and he told her everything that had happened a few weeks ago in the bakery. From the insult Blitz gave the white stallion to his joining the bet, and their setting the rules. He shuffled as he reached the end, unable to read the mare's expression. 

"And so, we took the Berry oath, and then we left and I spent a few days planning on how to ask you..." Fluttershy watched the stallion look to the ground again as he sighed heavily. "I know you must not like me anymore but, I just had to know. I couldn't be alone anymore, and not know if you and I could be something."

She watched him wipe away a tear and heard him speak barely above a whisper. "I didn't want to be alone anymore..."

The poofy pink mane slowly began to deflate, and Fluttershy knew where his mind was going. She had seen him like this before, and she wasn't going to let it happen. Without a word she gently hugged the pink pony and held him close to her. Her voice was gentle as she spoke to him. 

"Berry... I don't hate you, or dislike you." She brushed his mane, and felt him hug her. "I'm upset you and the others would do something so... mean, and stupid, but I'm disappointed in you most of all."

She felt the stallion shuffle, and his grip on her loosened. She spoke softer to him. 

"You know what you did was wrong right?"

He nodded. 

"And you will never do anything this mean again?"

Another nod answered her and he looked her in the eyes. "I promise. I'm sorry..."

She hugged him once more, and motioned for them to keep walking. "I forgive you." They walked in silence until the bakery reached their view. "So, what about Applejack, and Twilight?"

Berry chewed the inside of his cheek as he thought. "They won't take it as well as you did." He swallowed. "Applejack would buck Elusive into neck year, and Twilight might disintegrate Blitz..." 

The pair shared a nervous look and they reached the stairs of the bakery. It was as they reached the door that the pink stallion bounced up and smiled to Fluttershy. 

"I got it! I could try to convince them to call off the bet, and just continue with dating Applejack and Twilight. From there, the relationships go where ever they need to, and if they stay together, then the six of us can go on triple dates all the time."

He beamed with pride, and looked to the yellow mare for approval. She bit her lip for a moment while she mulled over the idea. If it worked, the three pairs would be very happy, and triple dates would be fun. On the other hoof, if it went south and the other two mares found out then the friendship they all shared would be damaged, or worse destroyed for years, maybe forever. 

"It... might work."

Berry nodded and his smile waned. "It has to... if not, then things might turn out pretty bad."

The yellow mare nodded and the pair walked into the bakery and silently made their way to the stairs leading to the apartments on the second floor. Berry led his marefriend through the hall at the top of the stairs to a small room that was his own. Fluttershy had been in his room a few times before, and was heading to the four-poster bed that sat at the center of it. 

She watched as Berry fluffed a few of the pillows and motioned to the bed. "Well, here it is. It's all yours." 

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "All mine? Where are you sleeping?"

"The couch..." He shuffled. "I don't deserve to cuddle you."

Fluttershy walked over to her stallion and kissed him on the nose. "Berry, I need someone to cuddle. Get in the bed please."

Berry nodded and quickly got in the bed. The pegasus quickly followed and they began getting under the sheets. Berry cuddled up behind her and nuzzled her cheek. 

"So, we are okay right?" He spoke in a soft tone. 

Fluttershy looked back at him and nodded. "We're okay. Let's get some sleep."