Love's Many Forms

by DraconequusMaximus

Chapter 10

Once the weekend rolled around Cherry rolled Noteworthy around town to look at available houses, there were a total of three available in Ponyville. The first was owned by Filthy Rich's realty business, so it was out of the question. The second was on the outskirts of town a bit further out than Noteworthy was happy with. The last was a wonderful two-story house with two bedrooms, two bathrooms & separate kitchen & dining room, & a fairly spacious living room as well as an attic & basement. Noteworthy really liked it, but it was a little more than he was willing to pay. Cherry could taste the disappointment coming from his coltfriend, & he wanted to help.

"You know, if you went ahead & bought the house I could help out with money. I don't really need food, & I make my own clothes & all. Berry insists on paying me anyway, so why don't I just take it?" Cherry said as they stood in front of the for sale sign in the house's yard. Noteworthy turned to Cherry in surprise, his mouth hanging open slightly. He shook his head to break himself from his stupor.

"You'd just give me your money? I know you don't have a lot of needs, but there has to be something you want for yourself?" Noteworthy said in disbelief. Cherry nodded his head yes before speaking.

"I already have what I want though, I've got Berry, Pinchy, Bon Bon, Lyra, & you. You five keep me happy, & fed, & even gave me a place to stay. I don't really know of anything else I could ever need. I'd be more than willing to chip in if it means giving you a place to live." Cherry said reaching into his hoodie & pulling out his pouch of bits. He set it on Noteworthy's lap & smiled at the incapacitated stallion. Cherry could feel a plethora of emotions running through Noteworthy the stallion held the sack of bits in his good hoof for a moment in silence.

"I'll take you up on your offer, but only one one condition. You move in with me." Noteworthy said with a serious face. Now it was Cherry's turn to be dumbfounded.

"What? But... isn't that kind of soon? I don't know a lot about relationships, but I've been learning. We've barely been together a week, shouldn't we take things more slowly?" Cherry said nervously fiddling with his hooves.

"I'm still going to need to stay with you at Berry's until I'm better, & the house's paperwork & inspections are through. We'll be together a couple more months before we make the move. Besides, we already share a room & you've given me a sponge bath. We're already further along than we should be." Noteworthy said with a blush that made him seem almost purple. Cherry wore a similar blush of his own.

"Okay, but we can still see the girls all the time right? They've all been really supportive of me, & I promised I'd help Pinchy with her school work." Cherry said looking at Noteworthy hopefully. Noteworthy merely smiled.

"Of course, we're your new family. Plus Berry would break the rest of my bones if she thought I wasn't being good to you." He said starting with a smile & ending completely serious. Cherry assumed that he was joking, but he genuinely liked the idea of Noteworthy & the mares being his new family. To be perfectly honest, even back at the hive the only changeling he really knew was his mother the queen. He missed her dearly, but now he had five times the social interaction.

Cherry wheeled Noteworthy away to town hall to pick up the proper paperwork & drop off the check for the property. True to Noteworthy's prediction things would take around two months, give or take a week. After receiving the mountainous pile of paperwork, Cherry brought them home & deposited the papers in their shared room to fill out later. Cherry dropped his disguise & the two settled down in the living room to watch television. After a few minutes Berry walked into the house through the back door after tending the various vats in the brewery. She joined Cherry on the couch.

"So, how'd house hunting go?" Berry asked the stallions before taking a drink from a bottle of hard cider.

"Great actually, put the down payment in on a house a lot like this one. Everything should be ready by the time I'm all healed up. But there is something we need to talk to you about." Noteworthy said looking from Berry to Cherry. Cherry caught on that Noteworthy wanted him to tell Berry.

"Well, I'm gonna move in with Noteworthy once everything is ready." Cherry said fiddling with his hole-riddled hooves & not looking directly at Berry, fearing she would be angry. Berry was a little surprised but not angry if Cherry's senses weren't deceiving him.

"Well I didn't expect you to stay around here forever, although I wasn't thinking you'd be out of here so soon. So long as you visit now & again I don't have an issue with it. You're an adult, you can make your own choices. That said, me & Pinchy will miss having you around. Make sure you get to work on time though." Berry said with a smile before finishing her drink.

"Where's Ruby Pinch?" Asked Noteworthy looking around as best he could in his neck brace.

"She's off with some of her school friends, they're playing in the park." Berry said while flipping through television channels. "You running low on juice Cherry? You normally keep your pony costume on twenty four seven."

"U-um, Noteworthy said he liked my real form just as much so I'm gonna stay like this unless we're going somewhere." Cherry said obviously flustered even though chitin doesn't blush. Berry smirked a little & looked over at Noteworthy who failed to look away due to his neck brace. His regular pony flesh could most definitely blush & was doing a wonderful job demonstrating it.

"W-well, I think he should be himself unless it's necessary. I like him for who he is, not who he pretends to be." Noteworthy said still very flushed. Cherry was touched, he could feel the affection in the words. Cherry was giddy, affection given freely without the facade of a pony was quite powerful. It wasn't love exactly but coupled with Noteworthy's words Cherry was on cloud nine. He got up from his spot on the couch & hugged Noteworthy as best as he could without hitting any injuries.

"Oh Blues!" He said happily hugging his coltfriend. Noteworthy smiled with his good eye's brow raised.

"Blues?" He said curiously. Cherry's eyes opened & he Noteworthy go with a nervous smile.

"Heh, well the television shows I've been watching have relationships where one pony gives the other a nickname. So I came up with Blues because you play music & you're... blue? Okay, now that I say it out loud I feel stupid." Cherry said his expression sinking a bit. To his surprise, Noteworthy placed his good hoof on Cherry's shoulder.

"Actually, I think it's kind of cute. None of my other coltfriends ever gave me cute nicknames." Noteworthy said with a reassuring smile. Cherry's expression brightened instantly & his wings fluttered quickly for a few seconds. Berry & Noteworthy both tried to withhold their chuckles.

After those heartfelt & embarrassing incidents time passed quickly as they watched television. Pinchy came home & Berry prepared dinner with Cherry's assistance. Cherry had secretly asked Berry to teach him how to cook, mostly so he could help pull his weight when he moved in with Noteworthy. Noteworthy & Ruby Pinch were getting better acquainted by having Noteworthy help her with her math homework. After about an hour of homework & dinner prep everything was ready. Cherry took on his disguise so he could taste the food. He had done admittedly well for his first time cooking ever.

After dinner more television followed until bed. Cherry once again used his magic to move Noteworthy up the stairs without incident. There was a bit of awkward silence going on between them after earlier, Cherry took his place on the ceiling after Noteworthy become situated. It was dark but Noteworthy could see Cherry's luminous pink eyes looking the other direction. The tension was getting pretty thick until Cherry finally cracked.

"So... I know it's kind of a weird situation we're in, but I don't think I'd change anything if I had the chance." Cherry said with glowing eyes directly on Noteworthy now.

"Well, I could have done without the injuries. But other than that you're honestly the nicest guy I've ever been with." Noteworthy said from below.

"I know you mean it. Emotions shift when ponies lie. That's why I was so flattered earlier, you were being completely honest. I appreciate that. To be perfectly honest, I don't like wearing my disguise. It's not that there's anything wrong with being a pony, but I kinda wish I could just be me. It just feels like lying to everypony all the time, but if I walked around as is I'd be carted off to a lab or a dungeon or something, ya know?" Cherry said with a stressed sounding tone. Noteworthy was at a loss for words, Cherry had just admitted something pretty serious & he had no idea how to respond to it.

"I'm not really sure there's anything I can do about public stuff, but just know that you never have to hide who you are from me." Noteworthy said after thinking on it for a minute. He hated that there wasn't anything he could do about it, but admitting that was probably better than having Cherry know he was being lied to.

"I know, I trust you. You've been great despite everything, I'm actually pretty happy I tripped over your saxophone & embarrassed myself in front of everypony. Thanks for listening Blues." Cherry said with more vitality in his voice. Noteworthy smiled at this.

"Anytime Cherry. I'll see you in the morning." He said happily.

"You too Blues." Cherry replied happily.

After their emotional exchange the couple drifted off to sleep, resting up for the coming day & whatever it may bring.

Author's Note:

Okay so, not entirely happy with this chapter. I know things are going really fast but the situation is unusual so whatever. Also, having a lover that can tell what you're feeling at all times would be a blessing & a curse in my opinion. I'm gonna try & work that in eventually.

Thanks for the continued support everyone!

Comments

[Jaybird78]

Bule's Clues !!!!!!!
(Sorry the joke got me)