"Freddy! I'm boooored!"
Frederic Horseshoepin sighed into the pages of his book before cutting his eyes behind him towards the mare who was draped across his back like a halfhearted blanket. The magenta eyed mare seemed headset on letting her feelings known one way another, and Frederic knew there was no way he would be able to concentrate on his book until she was satisfied.
"I had asked you to join me in reading, Vinyl," The stallion spoke in a sophisticated tone "But you responded with, and I quote, 'Books are dumb as hell. No way.'"
The mare sighed and settled on the stallion's back, her hooves on either side of his spine. "Alright, alright, I get the message," she apologized. "I just don't usually stay in one place for so long. Can't we do something fun? Like go to a club or something?"
"Vinyl, are you not a DJ on your day off?" The stallion asked. "Wouldn't going to the club be counterintuitive?"
The mare groaned, flailing her limbs like a foal on top of him. "You know I don't understand big words you jerk."
"What I mean is, that going to the place you work at to hang out defeats the purpose of having a day or two off from the place you work at." Frederic explained.
"So you're saying I can't hang out at the club?"
"I'm not saying you can't Vinyl. I'm just suggesting that you shouldn't. I know you love that noise that you call music, but it shouldn't be your sole personality."
"Hey! My music isn't noise." The mare snipped. "Besides, what about you?"
The stallion raised an eyebrow at the mare. "What about me?"
"Here you are, sitting in the middle of your room, listening to that old pony music, reading a book. How is old fuddy duddy not your personality?"
"I think you are missing the point Miss Scratch." Ferderic answered. "All I'm saying is to do something else other than listen to loud music. Pick up a hobby or." He lifted the book in his hooves. "Actually try reading a book instead of outright disregarding such a notion."
"Ugh...but hobbies usually mean doing stuff by yourself." The mare retorted, slouching her back and resting her head against the stallion's shoulder. "And I don't really like doing things by myself."
"I've noticed." the stallion mused dryly.
The mare wrapped her hooves around his neck, nuzzling the stallion. "So why don't we do something together." When the stallion opened his mouth she placed a hoof on his lips. "That we can both enjoy."
Frederic sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine. But what do you have in mind? Mind you, nothing too loud right now. I don't want to burst my eardrums before I'm thirty."
"Good question." The mare mused, she tapped a hoof to her chin before perking up. "Oh! I know just the place. Can't believe I actually forgot about it!"
"Oh? And where might that be?"
The mare smirked. "You'll see."
~
It wasn't long before the two were walking the streets of Manehattan. The stallion paced himself as he trotted, the picture of the perfect gentlestallion while Vinyl bounced from side to side, excited for whatever it was she had planned.
As they walked, the mare couldn't help but smile, happy that she was finally able to drag Frederic out of his room and into the city proper. She glanced over at him, the stallion doing the same to her when he noticed her gaze. She smirked. He raised an eyebrow before rolling his eyes. The mare knew he could be a little uptight but he was always a good sport when it came to what she wanted.
A short while later, the couple trudged down a dark alleyway with only a faint neon light in sight. Burgeoning buildings blocked out what little was left of the sun's rays as it dipped below the horizon. A bit uneasy, the stallion moved closer to the unicorn mare as they continued their journey further, his frown growing more and more severe as they advanced.
"Relax," the mare said, patting the stallions back, "No one's gonna hurt you."
Frederic's face flushed as he argued back, "I'm not concerned with myself; I'm more worried about you. It's rare, but there are still people out there who might take advantage of someone who looks like an easy target."
"Oh! My strong and loyal stallion cares about me!" She cooed, throwing herself into his hooves. "Sigh! You always get to me right here when you talk like that." The mare pointed right at her heart as she spoke. "Giving my heat a beat of its own."
Frederic blushed brighter than a cherry tomato as he sputtered for a response, "W-well...I...um..."
The mare chuckled as she pulled him into a hug. "Don't you worry about little ol me though. This place is as safe as safe can be. Besides, no sane pony would ever mess with me."
"So what does that say about me?" The stallion asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Hmmmmm..." The mare cocked her head in contemplation before giving the stallion her biggest shit eating grin ever. "Guess that means you're crazy."
"I figured. Just wanted somepony to say it out loud I suppose." The stallion drooled, though Vinyl sensed a hint of mirth in his tone.
"Good! Now that this is settled and done fore we can, In the words of your fancy pancy friends in the country clubs, Tally forth and whatever else they say!" Vinyl grinned and quickened her pace, leading the stallion down a narrow alleyway once again.
At the end of it was a door, above it the soft glow of a cocktail neon sign could be seen. The words The Dive could be seen under it, glowing just as softly in the evening light.
"What...is this place Vinyl?" Frederic asked, raising an eyebrow. "I've never knew this place ever excited. Is it new?"
"No way. This place been here for years. Use to stop by whenever I needed a brake from my gigs."
Frederic hesitated, eyeing the dimly lit door with apprehension. He wasn't sure if he wanted to step into a dive bar, let alone one that his wild and spontaneous marefriend frequented. "Are you sure its safe Vinyl?"
Vinyl, sensing his hesitation, nudged him forward. "Come on, Freddie. Live a little. I promise it'll be fun."
The stallion rolled his eyes, replying "Your idea of fun always has a hidden agenda somewhere along the lines..." Despite this, he still made his way to the door and opened it for the white unicorn. "I know I'll regret saying this but...After you, my beloved."
She gave him a tender smile and passed by, heading into the dimly lit bar. The tip of her tail tickled his chin as she did so. "Thank you darling," she cooed softly.
It took Frederic a moment to adjust his vision in the dimly-lit area as he entered after the mare, but once he could see clearly he noticed that it was far more lavish than he anticipated. There were only a few ponies here and there, leaving most of the space open. At the back was a long bar with very expensive drinks lining the shelves, some he had only heard about in soft whispers. He dare not try and find out how this place acquired such rarities.
Strutting up to the bar and leaning over the counter, Vinyl would wave a hoof, gaining the attention of the young mare who seemed to be the bartender of the establishment. "Sssssslice, my main girl. Been a while."
Slice, a orange furred, yellow haired, bartender with a scar across her eye, spun around in surprise upon seeing the white unicorn. "Vinyl? Is that you?" she exclaimed, her eyes bulging wide. "Girl...Its been a while, right? It feels like it's been forever since you've been here."
"Well ya know...Been busy with this and that. You know how I do," the mare said with a shrug, "I'm on a two day break from my gigs right now so I thought why not visit one of my old hangouts?"
"That right?" Slice mumbled, her eyes flicking to the stallion standing behind the mare, "And who's the stiff?"
"Stiff?!"
Vinyl turned towards the stallion, taking his hoof into her own. "Don't listen to her, Freddie. She's just being sassy as usual." Smiling, she turned back to her friend. "Slice, this is Freddie. My coltfriend. Freddie, this is Slice, the best bartender this side of Manehattan."
"Coltfriend. You?" Slice scoffed, her eyes scanning the stallion up and down. "Well, I'll be. Vinyl Scratch with a coltfriend. Who would have thought?"
Frederic bristled at the bartender's tone, but Vinyl nudged him with a smile. "Don't mind her, she's just jealous."
"Jealous?" Slice raised an eyebrow. "Of what? Being tied down to one pony?"
"That I can commit." Vinyl shot back with a smirk.
Frederic stood there awkwardly, not sure what to make of the interaction between the two mares. While he had always known that Vinyl was a bit wild, he had never seen her interact with other ponies like this.
"Ha! Right then. So what can I get the two lovebirds then?" The bartender asked, making her way to the drinks.
Sitting down, Vinyl glanced over at the wide selection of drinks behind the counter. "Hmm...Don't know...What do you think Freddie? Anything to your fancy?"
The stallion frowned. "I...usually don't drink much."
"What? But you say you go to wine tasting parties all the time." Vinyl replied, raising an eyebrow.
"It's wine tasting, Vinyl. You don't drink at the tasting."
Vinyl looked at the stallion as if he had grown a second head. "Then...what's the point?"
The stallion closed his eyes as he adjusted his tie, "To appreciate the taste, the texture, and the aroma. It's like admiring a work of art."
"And...you don't get drunk?"
"Of course not," Frederic replied. "It's about experiencing the flavors, not getting drunk."
"Oh...well that's dumb."
"No you." Was all the stallion replied as he gave her a side eye.
"Ha!" Vinyl laughed as she clapped the stallion on the back, nearly making him fall over. "In anycase, we are here to enjoy ourselves so no wine tasting here. We are getting drunk!"
"I don't think it's really responsible for the both of us to drink outside of the house." The stallion replied a little nervously.
"Come on you old fuddy duddy! You're with your marefriend in a bar for the first time. Live a little."
"I regret giving you that phrase a day calendar. You seem to use it against me when you learn what they mean." The stallion deadpanned, sitting next to the mare at the bar. "If I am to drink, make it something light. And smooth. As Vinyl knows, I do not do well with...hard stuff."
"That's what she said." Vinyl giggled under her breath. The stallion rolled his eyes at the mare antics.
Slice chuckled at the pair's banter before turning to Frederic. "Don't you worry, I've got just the thing for you." She reached behind her and grabbed a bottle of clear liquid, pouring it into a glass and sliding it down the counter to him. "Try this. It's called a Fluffernutter. Sweet and smooth, just like you asked for."
"Oooh. I do love that one. Get me a glass too Slice!" Vinyl cooed.
Frederic took his own glass, giving the liquid a soft sip before widening his eyes. "This...is quite delicious. Thank you Miss Slice."
"Miss Slice...that's a first." The bartender cooed. "Never been called something so fancy before."
"Better get used to it since I’ll be bringing him here every now and then." Vinyl chuckled, nudging the stallion with her elbow. "My stallion's always been the picture of class and refinement. He knows how to treat a good mare right."
Frederic rolled his eyes, taking another sip of the drink. Despite his reservations about the bar, he had to admit that the drink was quite good. "So, Vinyl, why did you bring me here? I mean, I appreciate the drink and all, but there has to be more to it than that."
"Well...." The mare began, nuzzling up to the stallion. "Mostly I wanted to show you off. You are my cute prize after all."
"I'm sensing a but." the stallion deadpanned.
"Oof you got me." The mare mocked nuzzling into the stallion. "There is another reason." She turned to Slice. "Hey. You still got that piano on stage?"
Slice cocked an eyebrow at Vinyl. "You mean the one that's been gathering dust for the past year? Yeah, I still got it. Why do you ask?" she inquired.
Vinyl's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Well, I was thinking that Freddie here could play us a little tune. He's quite the pianist, you know."
"Huh? An earth pony like him?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.
"H-Huh?" The stallion reared back. "I...well I am but...Didn't I just talk to you about doing other things then your job on vacation." Frederic admonished.
"Yeah, yeah. But counterpoint." She pointed at the stallion. "It's been forever since I heard you play without those other guys ruining your tune."
"You mean the ones I play with for the orchestra?" The stallion deadpanned as he looked at the mare.
"Yeah! Those jerks! They always play over you and I can never hear you play before I fall asleep!" Vinyl pouted, giving Frederic her best puppy dog eyes. "Please Freddie? For me?"
"The fact you fall asleep everytime you are at one of my recitals needs addressing later," The stallion began. "But..." he looked at the mare before sighing softly. "You know I hate it when you use those eyes on me. I can never say no to them."
"No you love it because it puts you under my power." The white mare cackled.
Slice watched the exchange with amusement before chuckling. "Well, I'll be. Vinyl's got you wrapped around her little hoof, doesn't she?"
"She does not!" The stallion blushed at her words before clearing his throat. "Though I...suppose I could play a little something. But only if Slice doesn't mind."
"Mind? Are you kidding me? I'm curious to hear what sort of performer it takes to capture Vinyl's heart of all ponies." Slice replied with a grin before motioning towards the stage. "Come on then, let's hear what you've got."
With a sigh and another sip of the sweet concoction he was given before, he would make his way to where the stage was. Pulling the cloth off the covered piano with a flourish, and a slight cough from all the dust, he would look in wonder upon it.
The piano was a beautiful work of art, the curves of the case were a work of wonder crafted by a master. Though there was a little dust upon it the wood still shone through, a masterpiece of workmanship.
The stallion softly murmured in admiration as he brushed his hoof across the keys, producing discordant sounds in the process. "You say it's been in disuse for a year? The keys are still quite in tune."
Slice nodded. "Well...I do try to keep it maintained every now and then. So, it's too your liking?"
"It certainly is." Frederic replied as he sat down on the bench, taking a deep breath as he positioned his hooves on the keys. "Now, let's see if I still have it in me." He closed his eyes, "Something light to start off with..."
Frederic's hooves glided across the keys as he began to play a gentle melody, his eyes still closed as he lost himself in the music, producing a soft and sweet melody that filled the bar. The notes flowed together flawlessly, each one building upon the other in a perfect harmony.
Vinyl and Slice watched in awe as Frederic played, completely entranced by the music. The sweet melody filled the bar, bringing a warmth to the air that was palpable. It was as if the whole world had stopped just to listen to the beautiful music.
"Geeze..." Slice gasped softly, leaning over towards her friend. "Where in Celestia's white pristine butt did you find this one?"
"Blame Octy." Vinyl said as she watched the stallion with rapt attention. "She's the one who introduced us."
"And...you two have been dating ever since?" The bartender asked.
"What? No. I hated him when we first met...and he hated me."
"Oh?"
"Yep! Some days I just wanted to straggle the jerk…and some days…I kinda deserved getting yelled at by him. Wasn’t the easiest pony to be around as you well know." The white mare chuckled softly. "Me, him and Octavia were even living together for a long while since the three of us had a gig in the city here and sharing a space was the easiest thing to do. We all thought it was going to be a mistake…and it was some days."
"Ah, so you two were roommates before you became...this." Slice gestured between the two of them.
"Yep. Some days...hehe...I kinda wish I knew when it all started...and some days I don't. All I remember was...that we were arguing moment and then the next..." She trailed off, a soft blush forming on her face. "We...Just sorta clicked. Like a light switch."
Slice tongued her cheek in thought. "And...he isn't like the others I've seen you with?"
Vinyl shook her head. "He isn't like those other guys and girls I was with before. He doesn't try and kiss my ass or tell me how great I am...he's just there...waiting for me. Caring for me. Loving me."
"Oh...Oh wow..." Slice nodded, taking in the mare's words. "Sounds like you found someone special, Vinyl."
The mare blushed deeply before taking a hard swing of the cider she had been given. Downing it in one gulp the mare would turn away from her friend. "Oh geeze...Is it getting sappy in here, or is it just me." The mare squeaked as she pulled her shades over her face. She turned back to the music as it continued to flow from the piano, Frederic's hooves working tirelessly to keep up with the melody. Sweat began to bead on his forehead, but he didn't stop. He was lost in the music, his body moving with the rhythm as the notes filled his soul.
Finally, with a flourish, Frederic ended the song, the last note hanging in the air like a gentle whisper. He opened his eyes, taking in the silence that had fallen over the bar. Slowly, the patrons began to clap, each one offering their appreciation for the beautiful music they had just heard.
The stallion blushed slightly at the praise, waving a hoof at the few ponies who where within the bar. Slipping from the seat, he made his way back to Vinyl and Slice.
"Well...that was an...experience." the stallion murmured, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a clutch he pulled from the collar of his tie. "It has been a long time since I played without my team backing me up."
"And it was wicked awesome." The white unicorn mused as she pulled the stallion into a hug. "And we got the whole night ahead of us! We can feel bad about our incoming headaches in the morning!"
Frederic groaned. "I knew there was a catch. You just wanted to get drunk and have me carry you home."
Vinyl let out a laugh, her eyes shining with mischief. "Well, can you blame me? You do have the muscles for it."
"I...well..." The stallion blushed. "I don't know about that..."
"Slice! Slice!" The mare began as she looked towards the bartender. "let me tell you, This stallion right here...he may look like another Fancy Dancy jerk, but what he can do in the sac-"
“V-Vinyl!” Frederic shouted, his face glowing a bright red. “We don’t need to talk about that here. Also How much have you had to drink already? We barely got it?”
“No…I kind of want to know more,” Slice replied with an impish smirk, pouring her friend another round of the Flutternutter.
Vinyl snickered silently, scooting closer to Slice as she murmured in an almost secretive tone. “Let's just say...the piano isn't the only instrument he knows how to play skillfully.” She winked knowingly. “And it certainly is no small instrument either.”
The stallion emitted a deep sigh and hit his forehead on the bar counter. “You know what? Just give me something strong too...I need to erase this night from my memory.”
~
It was late into the night...or...early in the morning when the two would finally leave. Both mare and stallion making their way clumsily though the streets in their drunken haze, both leaning onto each other for support.
Frederic groaned, "This is it, this is the last time I'm drinking with you, Miss Scratch," as he stumbled precariously over a cobblestone. His speech was slurred and his body felt weak after the night's festivities. "I don't think I can take another evening like this."
Vinyl giggled, swaying slightly as she leaned against him. "Oh, you'll be fine. It's not like we do this every night." She paused, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Unless you want to make it a regular thing?"
Frederic groaned. "You're going to be the death of me, Vinyl."
The mare laughed, her voice echoing through the empty streets. "Nah, we've got plenty more nights to live through. No way I'm letting you off that easy. You are stuck with me till the end of spacetime."
The two would walk in silence for a while, doing their best to remember the way home while basking in each other's company. It was quite some time, as the pair neared the steps to their home that Vinyl would stop him.
"Hey...Freddie..." Vinyl's voice had a soft, almost hesitant quality to it, and she gazed up at him with a mix of emotions in her eyes. "I know I won’t remember this so...I...I just wanted to say...thank you. For coming out with me tonight. For the music, for the drinks, for...everything. I just...I wanted to say I...I mean I lo...lov..."
"I know Vinyl. You don't have to say it." Frederic interrupted her, placing a gentle hoof on her shoulder.
"I know...I don't have to...I doubt I'll even remember it...but I have to say it...because..." She sighed before leaning into him "I fucking love you." Her lips pressed tightly against the stallion, locking him in place as the pair kissed. It was messy...and the scent of cider was in the air between them...but it was with each other and that was all the pair needed.
As they broke apart, Frederic's eyes were filled with emotion, and he held Vinyl close. "We...should go in..." The stallion said softly.
Vinyl nodded slowly, her eyes still locked on his. "Yeah...night's still young after all. We can just...live a little."
"Don't ruin the mood, Miss Scratch..."
"Fair enough."
"Oh...and...I love you too...you silly mare."
"Good. Cause I'm gonna show you a lot of loving tonight."
"Scraaaaatch."
"Okay okay...keeping quiet...at least till we get up stares. Then I'll be thanking Celestia over and over again."
The two would open the door to their apartment's complex before closing it softly behind them.
