The train was leaving in a minute. All the other passengers heading for Canterlot had already gotten on, but Octavia felt the need to give her business partner one last hug of confidence before she left. Her partner, Vinyl Scratch, was donning her signature shades and lips in the formation of a shallow hill. She didn't look too happy.
"Alright, now if you really need to inform me of anything, you know the address I'll be staying at," Octavia said to her partner. "Be sure not to write me *too** many letters if that's what you have in mind, though." Vinyl touched the tip of her horn with her hoof and then booped Octavia's nose, which the cellist secretly liked. "I'll miss you too, I can assure you of that."*
Steam blew from the train's horn. They were about the depart, so Octavia had to rush to get all her luggage on board. The conductor stood by one of the carts and gave Octavia a disgruntled expression. "Last call for passengers, ma'am!"
The cellist turned to him and said politely, "Just a moment!"
"I ain't making any promises!" The conductor ducked inside, presumably making his way to the front. Octavia sighed and looked at Vinyl somberly, correctly guessing the DJ's sadness.
She said, just loud enough to be heard over the commotion, "I'll be back before you even know it. Jobs abroad can be a real pain in the arse at times, but they make the bits come rolling in." She lightly pressed her hoof to Vinyl's cheek, and the silent DJ leaned her head in to it. The hill of her lips turned upside down. "Don't feel too down on yourself while I'm away now, you ridiculous mare." With that, Octavia turned for the opened doorway of the cart with only seconds to spare, managing to carry her luggage along the way.
After the train left, Vinyl remained at the station by herself a while. She never uttered a word.
Over the years, Vinyl had become adept at reading lips. Most ponies just ignored her, writing her off in their minds as a music nerd stuck in her own little world wherever she went. This wasn't quite true. Vinyl had, for instance, been sharing her world with Octavia for the past couple years in Ponyville; they lived in a house that was literally split in two, with Vinyl's half on one end and Octavia's on the other, but their opposing lifestyles led to them creating so much inspired material that they agreed it was best to stay together.
As business partners.
With sun rays bursting through the front windows of the house, Vinyl's bones ached with a mixture of fatigue and stress. She'd stayed in bed this whole time. It was still morning. There was still time. Her magenta eyes had lava flowing around inside them, and she kept the top of her blanket clutched to her chest, folding it up enough to give it a thickness that mimicked the embrace of another pony. Of course Vinyl wanted to hold Octavia more times than she could count, and after all this time she knew she couldn't be satisfied with wandering thoughts and spooning one of her pillows during particularly restless nights any longer.
Vinyl let go of her blanket with great reluctance and went over to her work station, starting up her drum and bass kit. The station resembled the interior of a spaceship's cockpit, though not as incomprehensible to the laypony. Maybe looking for a tune will calm my nerves? Ever since she was a filly, still adjusting to her lack of hearing, Vinyl loved working with instruments that emphasized bass over treble, beats and rumbles that made her heart beat with joy and caused butterflies to dance in her belly. She didn't have to hear such beauty to appreciate it.
A half-hour passed by without much to show for it. Vinyl rubbed her temples and nearly kicked her drum pad out of frustration. Nothing seemed to be working today, apparently. I know exactly what the problem is. Ugh, she thought as she messed around with some switches. Working by yourself is one thing, but under *this** kind of stress...* The other half of the house was infested with dead air that lingered and hung around, since there was nopony to scare it away with life. Octavia had even taken her cello with her to Canterlot; she'd been away since Sunday, but said she'd be back in time for Hearts and Hooves Day. Vinyl couldn't figure out why Octavia decided to return on this day of all days. It was hard to get a read on the composed earth pony, on if she had ever fancied anypony, but much to her chagrin Vinyl knew that she too was rather hard to understand at points. Still, Octavia at least bothered to come off as sociable.
Putting her forelegs up on the windowsill, Vinyl peered outside and saw that activity in Ponyville was bustling already. Some of the love birds who showed off their courtship to the world were also early birds, as it turned out. Vinyl knew a lot of these ponies, but most of them didn't know her. By Sugarcube Corner, Derpy and Doc appeared to be sharing tea together, oblivious to the mute who was spying on them from afar. Vinyl felt a pained gap in her heart, a vacant spot that should have been filled a long time ago. She stepped away from the windowsill and firmly shut her eyes closed. Alright, it's now or never. When Tavi gets back, I *have** to tell her.* Running a hoof through her blue-lightning mane, Vinyl felt at a loss. But how am I supposed to tell her? Not a box of chocolates, no, that's pretty lame. I don't do lame. Something else. A big plush heart? No, way too sappy. That's not my style.
Then an idea crashed into her train of thought and she quickly turned her head to the front door. Sugarcube Corner *is** open at this hour. I can totally ask Pinkie Pie for some help. She always knows what to do, even though I swear sometimes she acts like she doesn't. Yeah, she gets me, that crazy gal.* Putting on her shades, Vinyl knew what she had to do.
"So how's it going, Vinyl?" Pinkie was taking bites out an admittedly tasty-looking corn muffin. "I always took ya for a night owl, but you can never tell for totes, right?" Another bite and Vinyl shrugged her shoulders.
It was break time for Pinkie. The Cakes were attending the counter in the meantime, and they were always so nice about giving their prized employee time to breathe, although Pinkie usually worked an entire shift without stops. There was some chatter surrounding the two as they sat just outside the pastry shop, which Vinyl naturally ignored; she focused on Pinkie's lip movements and had always found the pink mare to be fascinating with how expressive she was with her words. Not so much the words themselves but how she conveyed them with the subtleties of her facial muscles. Celestia knew Pinkie was more well-rounded fat than muscle in most other parts of her body.
Vinyl tapped the side of her noggin with her hoof and swerved her other hoof through the air to form a capital "P," which meant she had a problem. Pinkie loved reading Vinyl's gestures, and in fact she'd gotten better at it than Octavia, though the cellist did try. Pinkie's lips once again went to work. "You have a problem, huh? It's been a long while since you came to me with a problem. But hey, a true friend helps a friend in need!"
Vinyl nodded, but her stoic expression didn't change.
"So is it a friendship problem? I bet it is."
The mute's lips curled down slightly and she shook her head. Pinkie shot her a quizzical look. "Oh no, is it worse? I can do something if it is, right? I don't like seeing my friends in such bad shape."
Using both her hooves, Vinyl drew a heart around her upper body. At that moment, Pinkie's eyes shot wide open and her pupils shrunk to the size of peas. "It's a lovey-dovey problem—?!"
Not so loud, Pinkie! I can't hear you, but *they** can!*
Vinyl winced and made a cutting motion across her neck, and thankfully Pinkie got the idea fast enough. She then whispered, "S-sorry." The pink pony lurched forward in her chair and spoke again in a hushed tone. "It's a lovey-dovey problem?"
Slowly, Vinyl nodded and adjusted to keep her shades over her eyes. Pinkie, in her overwhelming excitement, rubbed her hooves together and forgot entirely about her muffin. "I'm so happy for you—I mean, it's always so cute seeing ponies in love, ya know? It's why today's one of my favorites of every year. Like, in my top three easily." Pinkie raised three forelegs to nail the point home; Vinyl didn't know where that third one came from, but she learned to not care much for such things.
If I can rely on Pinks to be anything, it's weird.
But then something happened that Vinyl didn't expect from her incredibly extroverted friend; Pinkie's face softened into a state of quiet empathy. This was serious business. "Who is it? If you don't mind telling me. I can always keep a secret."
Vinyl let out a sigh and positioned her forelegs so that they mimicked somepony holding a cello or an upright bass. "Oh, oh, I know this one!" The pink pony across from Vinyl nearly spat her words in excitement, and the mute started to move her hoof side-to-side like a cellist working a bow across the instrument. Pinkie's mouth hung open at the realization. "Ohhhhhh, it's really her, huh? And you haven't done anything to get her attention?"
More than you would think, Pinks. Vinyl hung her head in a resigned manner.
Nothing was said for about ten seconds. Pinkie had put her hoof to her chin pseudo-philosophically and hummed a little tune. After a time, a literal light bulb materialized over Pinkie's head before she smacked it away. "I GOT IT!" She abruptly pulled Vinyl into a huddle, much to the latter's surprise, and put her game face on. "This might sound crazy, but if you trust me and do it juuuuuust right, it might work..."
The party pony and the deaf mute devised a plan that morning.
The last of the luggage had been brought inside. Most importantly, Octavia had returned with her cello tied to her back, intact as it was when she had left a week earlier. "One graceful motion and that should—" lowering her hindquarters and letting the massive instrument slide on to its upright position— "do it!" Octavia loosened her collar and wiped some sweat from her forehead. "Oh dear, these excursions always get a good workout out of me," she said before undoing her collar and hanging it up with the others, "but it's always worth it."
The cellist glanced over at Vinyl's work station, expecting to find her partner there, but saw nopony at the helm. "Huh," she muttered. "Where is that blasted mare? Vinyl? Lady Vinyl Scratch?" Octavia called out dryly. She went to her side of house and scanned the living space before noticing Vinyl resting on the sofa. It looked like she had been taking a nap, but with her shades on it was always hard to tell. After rolling her eyes, Octavia stood at the foot of the sofa and jabbed one of Vinyl's hind hooves. "You must have gotten some good work done if you're taking one of your naps this early in the day. Don't you even know what bloody holiday it is?"
Vinyl lifted her head to meet Octavia's gaze. Of course I know what today is. Tavi... While her mouth gave no indication of it, Vinyl's eyes shifted nervously like those of a dog, ashamed of the mess it had just caused.
Clearly grumpy from her long travel home, Octavia turned up her nose. "Hmph. It's no wonder you stay up so late," she said, and then went off to grab her favorite duster with her mouth and started cleaning the shelves where she kept her books of sheet music. "If you keep waking up at noon, how're you supposed to have breakfast? Or even brunch? Jolly good meal time, that one is." Octavia tended to fluctuate between mildly snooty and unbearably so.
Okay, so do what Pinkie said. Nothing too difficult. Vinyl sat up on the sofa and rubbed the back of her head in worriment. If only my nerves wouldn't act up right now! The back of her neck itched incessantly, and Vinyl felt her skin get all tingly. Not in a good way either. Her hind legs struggled to get her on the ground, and Octavia seemed to notice her partner's distress.
She put the duster aside and raised an eyebrow at Vinyl. "What are you giving me that look for?" The mute formed a lopsided grin as the result of a muscle spasm, and it probably came off as more creepy than awkward. Octavia didn't look enthused. "Is there something on my coat?" Octavia pointed at her chest, as if genuinely concerned.
NO! Vinyl rapidly shook her head in denial, although this didn't help matters much.
"Alright, so what is the matter? I understand that you're not the most mature mare in the world, but I hope you'd clean up after yourself when I'm away." Embarrassed, Vinyl slammed her hoof against her forehead, minding the horn of course.
Octavia started to unpack her things, unclasping the locks on a little hard-case bag that had a treble clef emblem on its side. "I get that some ponies act strange on Hearts and Hooves Day, but this just isn't like you, Vinyl." The cellist talked more to herself than to her friend, only glimpsing occasionally back at Vinyl. "I used to wonder if you were the romantic type, but I'm not so sure if that's the case. You always have those bloody shades on. The accessories club ponies wear sometimes, my goodness..."
As Octavia busied herself with her luggage, Vinyl started to lower herself off the velvet sofa. Very, very slowly. Alright, loser, you can do it, one leg in front of the other. Her legs felt like the bones had been extracted from them, leaving only wobbly towers of jello. Not the best bastions to stand on. Vinyl took a deep breath, and then another; her chest hurt too much. The touch of her shades around her eyes felt like it was burning her skin, so she took them off. Those lava-filled eyes were shaking.
Ah screw it, I can't go through with the plan! I s-should just jump right in. What's the worst that can happen, huh? She can leave me... she can get angry at me and she can leave me, and I'll be by myself. I'll be all alone. I wish I could hear your voice just once, Tavi. All those nights I imagine what you sound like, and every time I've never wanted to hear anything else. I can go for the *rest of my life** with the way I am now if it means listening to you speak to me just for one day. Please, Tavi, just speak to me!*
Eventually, Octavia felt a weird sensation in her side. Like somepony was nuzzling the side of her belly. "What the—?" She turned her head to see Vinyl rubbing her muzzle and cheek against the cellist's soft grey coat. Vinyl's shades were gone, but her eyes were closed tight. "What in the devil are you doing, Vinyl?!" Octavia jumped away from her friend, startled. Vinyl stood still, but not perfectly as she was trembling too much. She forced her eyes open and looked up at Octavia, tilting her chin downward and trying to make her mane hide her face. It only worked partially.
"But why...?" The cellist eyed her friend, and her gaze slowly turned from one of exasperation to sincere pity. "Did you really miss me that much?" Vinyl didn't dare reveal her watery eyes from behind her mane. She just stood there. "Vinyl..."
The mute continued to pretend to not notice Octavia talking to her. "Vinyl, look at me," the cellist said, gently nudging Vinyl's shoulder with her hoof. No reaction. Octavia, who was only a stoic some of the time, felt her lip quiver. "Vinyl, look at me!" And Vinyl did after a long time, brushing her mane to one side and meeting Octavia's gaze.
Something had gotten caught in her throat, not that she needed to use it.
Octavia held her hoof to Vinyl's cheek as the two looked directly into each other's souls. "Is this how you feel?" Vinyl didn't confirm or deny this at first, but she very slightly moved tilted her chin up and down. It feels so nice... why has it been so long? Can't I feel you touch me like this all the time? "It's the truth? You feel this strongly about me?" Neither took a breath; the strain to keep together that last iota of stability was too severe. Something had to happen.
Instead of answering Octavia's question more conventionally, Vinyl simply rubbed her cheek against the cellist's. It felt relaxing, almost therapeutic, to have their faces be this close together, and the fur on Vinyl's neck tingled as she felt Octavia blow hot air past her ear. If you could only let me get closer to you, Tavi. Vinyl's cheek moved down Octavia's neck and upon her shoulder as she wrapped both forelegs around the grey mare's body. She didn't break into tears, thankfully, but she felt herself sniffle and decided it was best to cling to Octavia for dear life.
She didn't think the cellist would hug her back. But she did. For all Vinyl knew, Octavia's hooves felt like any other pony's, but what made them feel so heavenly against Vinyl's coat was the fact that they were hers. Those hooves went up her back, almost to the nervous spot on the back of her neck, but Octavia kept Vinyl locked in this same warm embrace.
To herself, Octavia said, "I think words have failed me. I've always tried to be articulate, but I can't figure out what to say here... I thought I was going to be the one to confess, all calm and collected, but I can see now that I horribly underestimated you, Vinyl."
Vinyl felt Octavia's grip on her coast loosen, and before long the two were muzzle-to-muzzle, not daring to look away from each other. The cellist licked her dry lips before she got even a word out. "If there is anything I can do to make you forgive me, I'll do it. I can't quite tell you how sorry I am. I'm sorry I made your heart hurt so much. Mine feels it as well. It feels yours, Vinyl. You know, I've been around the block a few times myself, and yet I can't get over this blasted feeling I'm stuck with now..."
I'm sorry too, Tavi. I'm such a loser. I should've done this way earlier...
The art of the kiss wasn't completely foreign to Vinyl. She'd tried it a few different ways with a few different kinds of ponies, stallions and mares she had met while on the job. Sexuality came down less to gender and more to aesthetic preferences, but in this one case with Octavia she found that she wanted to be with the cellist for more than just her elegance, her mane that flowed like water, her nice rounded flanks that earth ponies were known for. No, she saw much more in Octavia. Much, much more.
The moment was a long one, frozen in time for tourists at a museum to see. Vinyl didn't consciously press her lips against Octavia's—certainly didn't mean to—but she wanted to all the same, and the silky smoothness of those lips was hard to overlook. The pupils in the cellist's eyes contracted in an instant, but then they relaxed when she realized Vinyl wasn't going to go any further. Any least not immediately. The kiss itself was shallow, but the feelings behind it weren't.
Vinyl sighed with unleashed happiness as they stayed in the kiss, the weight on her chest being gradually lifted. After a while, the two parted, and Octavia let out a lighthearted chuckle. "That was... I can't find the words to describe that. I pictured it in a number of ways, but I'll be cursed if this went against all of those silly daydreams." She stroked Vinyl's cheek, running her hoof all the way to the mute's ear and soothingly rubbing it. Blood rushed into Octavia's cheeks, and she had to suppress another chuckle. "Can we try that again?"
All too happy to oblige! Vinyl went back in and interlocked her soft lips with Octavia's. Unsure of her move at first but deciding to go through with it, Vinyl reached for the back of Octavia's neck and held it, lightly pulling the cellist closer to her. Another few seconds later and the two separated again, taking in each other's scent and appreciating the warmth radiating off their coats. Why can't we stay like this forever? Or, maybe even, it gets better somehow. I don't know how, but it might! Vinyl's cheeks had flushed by now as well, nearly matching her eyes, and her partner giggled before leaning in to kiss each of those rosy cheeks.
"I think I..." Octavia stopped herself. "No, not right now. There is still much to be done. Not so much said." That last part made Vinyl's ears perk up in newfound interest.
The heck does she mean by *that?*** She could only imagine, but she wouldn't have to for long.
Octavia's bed had remained tidy during the whole week; Vinyl didn't dare lay a hoof on it. Donning a wily smirk, the cellist walked past the rosy-cheeked DJ, the end of her tail flicking Vinyl's nose. Almost like a rabbit, Octavia hopped up on to her bed, causing a slight creak in the springs. Her hindquarters pressed on the low end of the silver-sown treble clef that decorated her blanket.
"Come on, chop chop," the cellist said, patting the spot beside her invitingly.
The prospect of sharing Octavia's bed with her filled Vinyl's heart with determination; her mind conjured up a plan that diverged from Octavia's, but hopefully not in an unwelcome way. On the count of three, I'll have her surrounded! Vinyl bended her forelegs and mimicked a cat about to pounce.
The cellist didn't seem to get the idea right immediately. "Uhh, what in the devil are you—?"
BLAM! In an instant Vinyl launched herself and embraced Octavia in a sort of hug-tackle, knocking the grey mare off balance and sending them both tumbling on the blanket. Vinyl's muzzle rubbed against the smooth fur of Octavia's neck as her forelegs wrapped around above her partner's. For her part in this improvised dance, the cellist burst into giggles and reached to take Vinyl's ear into her mouth, nibbling on the cartilage and provoking low-breathed laughter of the DJ's own. Their tails would have intertwined, had Vinyl's not been so short and spiky, but the contact was close enough to send goosebumps up the flanks of both parties.
As mentioned earlier, earth ponies tended to have shapely rumps, and Octavia certainly sported one of these. During their mock-wrestling match, Vinyl slid her hoof down the side of the cellist's barrel and gripped her flank, eliciting a near-silent moan. All this touching, plus their hind legs brushing up against each other, made Octavia's breathing sharpen. She bit down on the top of the DJ's ear, not too hard, before stopping for a moment.
"How about—ha!—another kiss for good luck, eh?" Vinyl, quite the eager sport now, aligned her face with Octavia's and leaned in to lick at her lips teasingly. The cellist's lips curled upward amusingly. "You know what I mean."
Of course I do. I'm pretty cool like that.
Pushing closer in, Vinyl squeezed her tongue between Octavia's shut lips, and before long her partner opened her mouth wide enough to allow for entrance. The tip of Vinyl's tongue went in and skimmed up and down Octavia's teeth, which felt surprisingly good, shocking the cellist's spine with little tingling sensations. Semi-consciously, Octavia pulled the DJ with both hooves into a tighter embrace, both mares practically joined together on their sides.
Wanting to provoke a stronger reaction from her partner—and admittedly enjoying the intimacy herself—Vinyl extended her tongue past Octavia's teeth and met with the inviting moisture of her tongue. "Ohhh..." Octavia's mind began to wander to a wondeful place as the tip of Vinyl's tongue rubbed the silken underside of hers.
Their breaths became more heated and intermingled until finally their lips merged sloppily but no less satisfactorily. Vinyl had stopped thinking coherently some time ago; she was too busy feeling her partner. Octavia's buttocks tightened and relaxed the more Vinyl played with her rump while in the deep kiss, and for a while neither expressed anything other than pure physical joy. The DJ didn't pack as much heat in the rear, but Octavia didn't seem to mind this much; she played with Vinyl's mane, ruffling it and making it even more unkempt than usual. Any mess caused would be tolerated, naturally; they could clean up together afterwards.
Putting a stop to the foreplay temporarily, Octavia gently pressed her hoof on Vinyl's chest. "I think—" gathering herself just long enough to get rest out— "we can do this all day. Don't you agree?"
Almost before the cellist could even finish her question, Vinyl nodded once in approval. Never agreed with you more in my whole gosh-darn life, Tavi. She then greeted the cellist's lips with another kiss.
With that, words escaped Octavia for another few hours. They were no longer needed.
