Sinful Sabbatical

“Thank you, Canterlot!!!” Adagio triumphantly yowled, holding the microphone aloft. Standing between her fellow performers, Sonata and Aria, the siren struck a pose, as the packed theater went absolutely ballistic. Loitering backstage, just out of sight of the throng of onlookers, a tall figure smiled.

High Gear normally wouldn’t have attended a live concert, especially to a venue as jam packed as the Canterlot Amphitheater, though it was a special occasion. Aria Blaze, a dear friend of hers and band member of the Dazzlings, had procured a VIP ticket for her. Considering the city wasn’t too far from her shop, she couldn’t turn down the opportunity.

The other contributing factor was that it was the last evening of her vacation. Having taken Aria to the beach for several days, their sabbatical had drawn to a close with the Dazzling’s show. The siren’s bandmates had even sent a limo for the pair, bringing them to Canterlot for the event. To say the day had been rather rushed would be an understatement, though she’d enjoyed it all the same.

Stepping aside, Gear let the trio of sirens pass. Adagio and Sonata strutted by, headed towards the relative seclusion of their awaiting limousine, though Aria slowed. Nearly as tall as she, the muscular, pig-tailed woman lingered and held out a hand. Without saying a word, the mechanic accepted the gesture.

“Enjoy the show?” Aria asked, smiling over at her companion.

From behind a lock of jet black hair, streaked with a bolt of yellow, Gear grinned and nodded. While she had enjoyed the performance, the hustle and bustle of the afternoon had been draining. Standing for nearly an hour, after having packed up of a day and the lengthy drive, left her exhausted. An entertaining evening, to be sure, but a long one.

“Thanks again for coming,” the fuchsia siren sweetly murmured, leading the hulking mare along.

“Hey, it’s not every day I get to see the Dazzlings play in person,” Gear chuckled, plodding along beside her friend. “Besides, any excuse to see you again is totally worth it,” she added, smiling broadly.

While she’d known Aria for years, having met the woman at a dive bar, the two only got to see each other several couple of months. Between Gear’s work at the shop and the musician’s touring, simply finding the time to meet up was a trial - still, even though it was a relatively rare event, there was one positive note; it meant they got to savor their visits all that much more.

The trio of sirens, with the mechanic in tow, wound their way through the bowels of the stadium. It didn’t take the quartet of mares too long to reach the parking garage, where a limousine sat idling by the exit. As with many of their shows, if the Dazzlings beat a hasty retreat, lest they quickly get overcome by clamoring fans.

Stepping to the door, Adagio popped it open and ushered her fellow band members, as well as their guest, to enter. Following in after them, she closed the door behind herself and awkwardly crouch-walked to Sonata’s side. Seating herself beside the cerulean siren, opposite of Aria and Gear, she made herself comfortable.

“Alright, let’s roll,” she flippantly remarked, raping her knuckles against the mirrored partition to the driver’s compartment. Almost immediately, the vehicle smoothly lurched forward and began to move.

Looking over, Gear appraised the pair of Dazzling sitting across from her and Aria. Though she’d met Adagio and Sonata in passing, she’d never spoken with them much. “So, where are we off to now?” she asked, hoping to strike up a conversation.

“The hotel,” Adagio bluntly stated, brushing a curly lock from her face, “but you can feel free to join us.”

“Nah, I gotta work tomorrow,” Gear grumbled, staving off the temptation of taking the siren up on the offer. As badly as she’d like to crash with them, she had to earn her living. Stifling a yawn, she stretched her legs.

“Awwwww,” Aria began, wrapping an arm around her friend’s shoulder, “is it past someone’s bedtime.”

Blushing slightly, Gear fidgeted in place. “Just a little, but being able to go out and watch you guys up-close was amazing. Thanks for inviting me, by the way.”

“Don’t sweat it!” Sonata chirped, dismissing the gratitude away. “After how excited Aria was acting, how could we not let you get a back-stage pass?”

“N...No I wasn’t!” Aria blurted. Immediately retracting her hand, she crossed her arms over her bosom and pouted.

A smirk crept across Gear’s face, as she looked from her friend to Sonata. “Please, do tell…”

“Oh man, you should’ve seen her! ‘Gear’s coming to the show! You better be on your best behavior!’ Let me tell you, it was a riot!” the cerulean siren explained, giving her best impression of Aria.

“Quite. I mean, just look at her,” Adagio added, nodding to the fuchsia songstress.

Peering to the side, Gear noticed that Aria’s cheeks had darkened a shade. Adagio and Sonata must have been telling the truth, considering her friend’s distinct lack of rebuttal. In her experience, the girl seldom got flustered, often opting to lash out with biting words, but this was different. Maybe it was because she was tired, or perhaps it was due to the fact that they’d just finished a performance, but she actually felt bad for her companion.

“Alright, alright, I get it,” Gear snickered, patting Aria’s leg.

“Oh, look, she’s defending her little buddy,” Adagio giggled, eyeing the pair heavily. Crossing and uncrossing her legs, affixing the duo with a teasing stare, a sinful smirk played across her face. “So, Gear, tell me, when are you two going to make it official?”

The question, as simple as it was, caught Gear completely off guard. Ineffectually opening and closing her mouth, struggling to find an answer, she felt Aria’s fingers lace with her own. Though she couldn’t see it, the distinct feeling of warmth in her cheeks let her know she’d begun to blush.

“Shut up, Dagi!” Aria grunted, squeezing her friend’s hand.

Gear’s mind raced, as she found herself in a precarious situation. While she certainly wouldn’t mind being in a relationship with Aria, but they’d never really discussed the matter. Sure, they were close friend - with benefits - yet neither had made any moves to take it to the next level. Staring at the floor, avoiding eye contact with the trio of musicians, she felt something grace her chin.

“Hey,” Aria murmured, turning her companion’s face towards her, “just ignore them.”

Staring into the siren’s mulberry eyes, Gear’s heart fluttered. Between the hand holding and comforting words, she practically swooned. In an interesting twist of fate, it was often seemingly mundane gestures which had the heaviest impact on her; though she could shamelessly do raunchy things in front of a small gathering, public displays of affection tended to make her weak in the knees.

“Well when you do decide to formally start dating Aria, just let us know!” Sonata cheerfully noted, grinning from ear to ear.

Feeling a bit sheepish, unsure of exactly how to follow the comment up, Gear nodded. Her relationship with Aria was pretty unique; friends though they were, it would be easy for people to think they were an item. Looking out the window, watching the buildings and city blocks roll by, she distracted herself.

While Gear was content to let the matter lie, Aria wasn’t quite finished. Leaning in, she gave the afro-maned siren a predatory smirk. “Since you’re so keen on questions, Dagi, how about you tell us about that little nerd you’ve been sneaking out to see…”

At the remark, Adagio went rigid and leered at Aria. “Don’t,” she hissed.

Playfully elbowing Gear, the fuschia siren was not to be deterred. “Little blue fella, yellow hair, can’t quite remember his name. T-something, if I remember-”

“Shut it, Aria!” Adagio barked, cutting off her fellow Dazzling. Her cheeks had gone a bright crimson, an unmistakable testament to how frazzled the topic made her, as she angrily thrust a finger in her friend’s direction.

“Well,” Aria smuggly huffed, crossing her arms, “if you don’t want me to continue, you’ll drop the subject.

In stark contrast to the blazing frustration in her eyes, Adagio relented. Scrunching her snout, she dug her phone out of her pocket and kept quiet - that was, before Sonata’s giggling became too much to bear. Reaching over, she slapped the blue siren’t leg, silencing her.

The rest of the group’s perilously short ride was quiet, save for Sonata openly wondering if she could order mexican food through their room service. Each of the Dazzlings were all spent from a day of setting up, a brief rehearsal, and the show itself. Gear, though she struggled valiantly to stay awake, found herself nodding off in her seat.

As the limo rolled to a halt in front of the lavish hotel, Adagio and Sonata saw themselves out the driver’s side of the vehicle. Aria went to move, grabbing the handle of the door beside her, but she paused. Looking over at Gear, she noticed the mare was out cold; with her head lolled back and mouth hanging open ever so slightly, the mechanic silently snoozed next to her. It was only when the driver’s compartment window opened a crack did she look away.

“You don’t mind dropping me off with her, would you?” she asked their chauffeur, keeping her voice relatively low.

The driver nodded once and closed the window, leaving the two in peace. While Aria hadn’t anticipated paying for her friend’s ride home, she thought it a prudent decision. The last thing she’d want is Gear trying to drive while half asleep. Sure, she’d end up leaving her bike at the amphitheater parking lot, but that wouldn’t be a problem; after all, she had at least two other vehicles at her home, as well as a trailer for hauling cars and motorcycles.

Feeling the limo trundle along, Aria snuffled over to her friend. The warmth of the large woman’s body, the soft sound of her breaths, and the ever so faint aroma of her were all deeply comforting, which didn’t help matters much. Between her friend’s presence and the exceptionally smooth ride, she found it increasingly hard to stay awake. Before she knew it, dozed off herself.

“Miss...Miss…” an unfamiliar voice softly called, shaking her from her slumber.

Peeking out, reflexively stretching her limbs, Aria found the limo driver standing beside her. Taking a moment to orient herself, she looked around. They were parked in front of Gear’s house, with the chauffeur standing outside, next to the open passenger door. Swinging her legs out of the vehicle, she slowly pushed herself up.

As quietly as she could manage, she closed the door behind herself. Pulling a wallet out of her pants, she retrieved a pulled a one hundred bit bill out and folded it in half. “Here,” she said, handing it to the driver, “and there’ll be another one for you if you’re here tomorrow morning at nine.”

“I don’t know, I was supposed to be off tomorrow,” the chauffeur, a young pegasus stallion, halfheartedly lamented.

“What do you want?” Aria groaned, rolling her eyes.

“An autograph and a selfie to go with it. I mean, if that’s not too much to ask,” he excitedly added, barely restraining himself.

Weary, but amused by his request, the Dazzling smiled. “Yeah, I think I can make that happen,” she sighed, walking around to the driver’s side of the car.

Positioned as Gear was, nearly slumped against the rear door, it wasn’t too difficult for Aria to get her friend out of the vehicle. There was no way in hell the stallion could do it, given his relatively small size, which meant the work was up to her. Stooping low, picking up her friend in a hulking form of a princess carry, she lumbered towards the entryway of the mechanic’s home. It wasn’t until someone dashed by did she realize she’d nearly forgotten something.

Scampering to the door, the chauffeur proudly displayed a set of keys. “I think these fell out of her pocket; they were in the back seat,” he admitted, bashfully smiling.

If he hadn’t taken note of Gear’s key’s, they’d have been in a bit of a pickle. Breathing a sigh of relief, Aria nodded towards the door. “Can you…?” she inquired, hoping he’d catch the hint. Thankfully, it only took him a few seconds to find the right key and get the door open for the pair.

Walking through the archway, the driver handed her the set of house keys. As he nodded and turned to leave, she cleared her throat, drawing his attention. “Thanks for that. Tomorrow, after you come get me, remind me to get you autographs from Adagio and Sonata,” she cheerfully commented.

Smiling like an idiot, the chauffeur practically skipped back to his limo. Aria watched him pull away, disappearing into the night, before she softly closed the door behind herself. Fortunately, it wasn’t the first time she’d been in Gear’s house, so she knew where to go. Navigating out of the foyer and into the living room, she delved deeper into the building.

The house’s interior was relatively dark, but she was able to manage it without incident. In a matter of moments, she was standing before the sofa, while holding her friend in her arms. Gingerly setting muscular are on the cushions, she slunk off into the adjoined kitchen. Since she’d be spending the night, having a bit of tea to help her relax couldn’t hurt.

Between the jostling of being carried and the sound of soft footfalls on hardwood flooring, Gear stirred. Her eyes fluttered open and danced over her surroundings, as she took stock of exactly where she was. Discovering she was in the comfort of her home, wondering how she’d gotten inside, she pushed herself up and glanced to the side; there, lounging beside her kitchen counter, stood Aria.

She watched quietly, as the siren turned and bent over, retrieving a pair of coffee mugs from her dishwashing machine. With a superbe view of the woman’s backside, she couldn’t help but smile. Athletic and shapely, the Dazzling had a very alluring figure, not dissimilar to her own, so she took a moment to appreciate the view.

Apparently Gear may have relished the sight of her friend’s posterior a bit too much, since a contented hum escaped her. Aria turned slightly, drawn by the attention, and glanced over at her. Looking at one another, each having a silly little grin, something passed between them.

“Didn’t mean to wake you up,” Aria admitted, pouring some chamomile tea into the two mugs.

Shaking her head, Gear rubbed the back of her neck. “It’s fine. You didn’t have to carry me in,” she grunted, stretching her arms.

Strolling over, cups of steaming tea in hand, Aria shrugged. “I’ll catch a ride back tomorrow morning, it’s no biggie.”

Taking one of the mugs from her guest, Gear took a sip and carefully slid to the side. Patting the empty cushion beside herself, she nodded for Aria to join her. The siren acquiesced, plopping down next to her. Happy for the company, she leaned over and rested her head on her friend’s shoulder.

“Thanks,” she whispered.

Aria affectionately nuzzled the mechanic’s mane, savoring the woman’s scent. Without even thinking about it, she rested her tea on the coffee table, reached over, and tenderly held Gear’s hand. Given how busy of a day she’d had, in combination with how comfortable she was, a sudden fatigue settled over her.

“You know, you can stay here whenever you want,” Gear muttered, basking in the warmth her friend afforded. “Hell, if you guys take a break from touring, maybe you could…” she trailed off, unsure of what direction she’d inadvertently taken the conversation. Yes, Aria was a cherished friend, but she wasn’t sure if the songstress was ready for the next step.

Snaking one arm behind Gear’s back, Aria gave the woman a deep hug. Leaning in further, she unintentionally pushed her friend to her side, as she rested herself atop her friend. “Yeah, I bet you’d like - Yawn - that…”

Lying back, adjusting herself slightly, Gear stroked the siren’s mane. “Yeah...I think I would…” she mused, pulling a blanket over them.

Drifting off to sleep, holding one another, the two women fell silent. Friends or not, there was a certain spark between them - something which threatened to grow into something more. Wondering what the future held for them, they knew one thing; each took comfort and joy from the other, so they’d make it a point to see one another again...