The Line Between Business and Pleasure

"What about this, cuz?" the blue-maned unicorn named Vinyl Scratch asked, adjusting the knobs on her turntable. The music that was produced changed ever so slightly, but that small amount of difference caused the only other pony in the room to smile.

"Much better," he said. The stallion was sitting a few yards away, his back turned to Vinyl. He bobbed his head to the music, his two-tone red mane bouncing lightly.

After a few more minutes of music, Vinyl shut off her sound system.

"Thanks, cuz," she said, her head still bobbing to music that was no longer there, "Those magic ears of yours always know what's up."

"Anytime, Vinyl," the stallion said, not turning around, "Do you know when Octavia and Lyra are coming?"

"Tavi said they'd be here later this afternoon. It isn't even noon yet."

The stallion turned around at this information, revealing the dark sunglasses that he always wore, along with a horn which, along with his pristine white coat, made him almost a carbon-copy of his older cousin.

"Well it's not as if I can see the clock," he snorted, frowning slightly.

"Don't worry, cuz," Vinyl walked over and put a hoof on his shoulder, "I tend to lose track of time too when I'm in the zone."

This quip brought the smile back to the stallion's face as he began to chuckle.

"Oh, Vinyl," he said, shaking his head, "now I understand why Octavia always wonders what she's going to do with you."

"She knows full well what she's going to do with me...if you know what I mean."

The stallion raised a hoof to his face, as close as he could come to a facehoof with his glasses on, "Vinyl, I didn't need to hear that."

"I'm just messing with you, cuz," the unicorn said, turning in the direction of the kitchen, "C'mon, let's get some grub."

Vinyl walked off, her cousin not far behind. He hadn't been living with Vinyl very long, and as such hadn't gotten a complete feel for her apartment. As such, he employed the trick he had been taught when he was a little colt. Lighting his horn, he slowly moved his head side to side. By aiming his magic around him, he was able to use his impeccable hearing as a sort of echolocation, listening for how far things were away from him. Eventually, he would have the apartment layout memorized, but for now, he had to resort to this method.

When he made it to the kitchen, he could hear Vinyl rummaging around her refrigerator. Before he came along, she had basically kept the thing empty, sufficing to dine on take-out most of the time. But in consideration of her cousin, she had begun to stock it more regularly, at least until she could properly introduce him to all the great fast food places Canterlot had to offer.

"Apple and cashew salad," Vinyl asked, producing a bag of the stuff held in magic.

"Sounds good," the stallion replied, finding a chair to sit in.

Quickly, Vinyl prepared their lunch. However, after only a few minutes, there came a knock at the door.

"That couldn't be them," Vinyl said, confused, "it's way too early."

The blue-maned unicorn made her way to the door, opening it with her magic. On the other side stood two mares, a light green unicorn with a green-and-white mane named Lyra Heartstrings, and a dark gray Earth pony with a slicked-back black mane named Octavia Melody.

"Afternoon, Vinyl," Octavia greeted in her crisp, clear accent.

"Tavi? Ly?," Vinyl asked, "I'm confused, you're way early."

"Oh, practice ended early," Lyra beamed, trotting past Vinyl and into the apartment, "figured we'd just pop by early. Where's Score?"

"Kitchen," Vinyl replied, magically moving her shades above her horn before turning her gaze back to Octavia, "Hey Tavi."

"You know I hate that name," Octavia responded, a disgruntled look on her face.

"Well then, it's a good thing you love the rest of me," Vinyl replied, giving her marefriend a kiss. This caused Octavia to blush somewhat.

"Is...is there any way you can get Score out of here tonight," Octavia whispered.

"Don't know," Vinyl whispered back, "I mean, he's cool, he would give us some time if I asked, but he doesn't really know the city that well. And remember, he can't see where he's going."

"I know, I know. Maybe we can get Lyra to help."

"We'll see."

The two lovers raised back up out of their quiet whispering and headed toward the kitchen, Vinyl replacing her shades in their proper place.

"...good thing she has me around now," the stallion said to Lyra, who had taken the seat next to him at the table, "I think all those gigs are starting to affect her hearing."

"Not enough to where I didn't hear that," Vinyl snarked, which caused the stallion to grin widely.

"Hey, cuz," he said in a manner that seemed to ape Vinyl's voice, "Lyra and I were just talking about you."

"Yeah, I could tell," Vinyl deadpanned, "So Ly, how was practice? And since when does the Canterlot Philharmonic Orchestra let out early?"

"It was a little unusual," the unicorn said, bringing a magically-held water bottle to her lips for a sip, "We had a guest conductor for awhile. I don't see why they ever bring them in, it doesn't do anypony any good to scream at us in Prench. I think our regular conductor got fed up with it and let us go."

"I hear ya," the stallion scoffed, perking up his ears, "Are you here too, Octavia?"

"Yes, Score, I'm here," the aforementioned pony answered.

"Figured as much," there was silence for a few seconds before the stallion spoke again, "Oh, Octavia, just a heads-up, if you and Vinyl want some alone time, all you have to do is ask."

He punctuated this statement by moving his own glasses above his horn with the red aura of his magic, turning in the direction of Octavia's voice and throwing her a wink.

"Score Scratch!" Octavia yelled, flustered.

"Damn," Vinyl laughed, finding pleasure in the embarrassment of her marefriend, "the super-powered hearing strikes again!"

"Call it a gift," Score chuckled, patting the spot on his flank where his cutie mark, an upside down eighth note, made different by the fact that the connection between the stem and the flag came to a point resembling a quill tip, sat.

Lyra busted out laughing at this conversation, pounding her hoof on the kitchen table.

"Listen up, lovebirds," she said once she finally stopped, "I'll take Score out into town for a few hours. It sounds like you two need it.

Octavia blushed hard, her right eye slightly twitching. Vinyl was doing her best not to laugh, lest she catch her marefriend's ire.

"C'mon Score," Lyra continued, getting out of her seat and grabbing Score's hoof, "let's get out of here before things get awkward."

"Uh...yeah," Vinyl sputtered, "You guys go. Tavi and I will catch up with you later."

Lyra and Score couldn't vacate the premise fast enough. As soon as they were out of sight, and Vinyl could only hope out of Score's earshot, she grabbed Octavia by the hoof and the two ran to the bedroom as fast as possible.