Bush Whacker

Bush Whacker softly rolled over in his sleep, blanket curling over him and his head settling into the pillow even farther than normal. His forehoof reached forward and found purchase on something soft and furry, his face tickled by something similar. ‘Guess Back Up wanted to cuddle, always wants attention.’ His thoughts still groggy and slow, the stallion was content to simply lie in bed and let sleep overtake him. ‘Wait… I don’t own a mattress…’ slowly he moved his forehoof down the fur of whatever was next to him, hearing what sounded almost like a contented sigh. Bush Whacker’s mind immediately decided to start functioning as best it could past the slight headache that spoke of a night likely spent drinking. ‘That’s not Back Up… Where am I?’ Ever so slowly his eyes opened to reveal that not only was he not in the Everfree but that his face was rather close to a cerise mane and the mulberry mare it belonged to.

‘Oh buck.’

While his mind was busy putting two and two together his body had betrayed him, letting out a deep yawn and alerting the mare next to him, causing her to slowly roll over toward him, their faces mere inches apart.

“Well good morning to you to Bush Whacker.” A small, welcoming smile accompanied her greeting.

Words failed him, they kept getting stuck in his throat. Speaking took incredible effort. “Good… good morning Berry Punch… how…what did we do last night?” The throbbing in his head flared up again, getting slightly worse.

A small giggle left the mare. “Nothing you’ll regret.”

At least his pounding heart seemed slightly calmed by this. “What happened?”

“Well, I learned a few things. First, why you don’t order wine. All your barriers just disappear Bush, you open up a lot. Second, that you can do a lot with an open stove flame.” Berry’s coat did little to hide her blush. “So when did you get to be an artist?”

“Wait what? I’m not sure I follow where you’re going, did- did I drunkenly paint something?”

“No. You insisted, to my protest, that we go up to my roof.”

“Oh… sorry about that.” The pegasus’ face drooped downwards.

“Don’t be, it was beautiful. You went on for at least half an hour about the night sky, about the stars that hide until your eyes adjust, the sky as a whole, and about Luna as an artist. I’ve never seen you get that deep, it was cool…”

Now it was Bush Whacker’s turn to visibly blush, despite his red coat. “Thanks… I usually just keep that stuff to myself you know? No real reason to tell other ponies about it. I just like to keep those kind of thoughts private…” His face hid itself even more, his voice slowly trailing away.

“Why? It’s a side of you nopony gets to see. You opened up about a lot actually… You should really stop hiding some of those things.” Bush Whacker felt the pressure of a hoof on his chin, lifting it to look back at the mare next to him. “Why do you hide parts of yourself? Why do you reject so much of who you are? You almost sounded angry last night before we went to the roof.”

Bush Whacker took a deep sigh and closed his eyes momentarily before looking the mare right in her own, his filled with sincerity but with the slightest hint of doubt or fear. “Berry, there are some parts of me that I just despise, I know they’re a part of me, I know I should accept them but I can’t. I shouldn’t feel the way I sometimes do. I shouldn’t know those emotions or thoughts. I can’t be like that and I won’t. I need to push them away. The more other ponies know about my limits or about the parts I don’t present, the more it leads to pain, it always has. I need to present myself as some paragon, flaws are picked and made worse, any weakness is exploited. I need to be better than what I am, I need to be something else. If I can make them think I’m perfect or that I don’t have limits then they won’t be used against me.” The doubt and fear in his eyes slowly began to take over, his body shaking lightly despite the warmth of another so close, his voice equally as faulty. Barely a second had passed before he felt a pressure encompass his torso and wings, two hooves finding their way to his back and his head in Berry’s shoulder.

“Bush Whacker listen to me. I like that you opened up like that with me. I don’t care about your flaws, I like the fact that I got to know the you that you always hide. You’re a great stallion, stop beating yourself up, please. Pressure can make diamonds but it also makes dust. I won't tell anypony what you said, but you need to lighten your load. Talk with somepony, get this out.”

It took a moment for it to all sink in, but when it did Bush Whacker immediately returned the hug, letting out a deep breath, contented to know there was at least one pony he could tell everything to, who wouldn’t judge him too harshly anyway.

“Thanks Berry.” His voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not used to opening up like this.”

“You’re welcome, anytime you wanna talk, be it as a bartender or something more I’ll be here.”

Their hug lasted for a few more seconds before they pulled apart and just watched each other. “So… are we… a couple now?”

A giggle and light kiss on his forehead sent his heart rate skyrocketing again. “Well I think we should talk about that. Preferably over those apple pancakes you said you’d make me.”