Quiet.
If there was ever a reason Vinyl loved moving to Ponyville after she made it big, it was the quiet, small town feel. She would always be a Manehattan girl at heart, she still had those little moments where her passion ran high and she let a bit of that attitude show, and it would never really leave her.
The cities were all great, of course. Manehattan, Baltimare, Canterlot, Vanhoover, Chicacolt, and Detrot, they all had great venues to play and clubs to hit. Not to mention some of the wildest crowds she’d ever seen.
Ponyville, though, was nice and quiet.
Sure, when her new album came out, the music lovers would flock to buy it and ask her for an autograph, but they were always so sweet about it. Small crowds weren’t too bad. She didn’t have to put on her stage face and get loud to make them happy here.
In Ponyville, she could give a polite smile and nod while she signed whatever they’d asked, and then chat with them like normal.
Maybe Pinkie had a story about her friends’ wacky adventures. Maybe the Cutie Mark Crusaders—or “the Troublesome Trio”, as Octavia so loved to call them with a fond smile on her face—had a new story about the crazy things they got up to while searching for their special talents.
A frown tugged at her lips. No. Those stories wouldn’t be coming anymore. The little fillies had finally gotten their marks.
Vinyl shrugged. Well, good on them. Who was she to complain that they’d finally found their talents?
Even if it meant she wouldn’t get to watch them stagger through town covered in tree sap anymore.
With a sigh, she pushed her purple shades to the bridge of her snout and looked down at the grocery list hovering in the cerulean glow of her magic. Octavia’s neat, loopy cursive stared back at her.
One bottle of Guilty Princess rum—buy from Berry, not that ponce from out of town, he overcharges. Tip her well.
Two red gala apples
Ten pack of quills
Two wells of ink
Bath salts—jasmine
Shampoo and conditioner
Also, please stop by Carousel Boutique and pick up my scarf. Rarity should be done with the repairs I requested.
Thank you, dear. Dinner will be ready when you come home.
Love,
Octavia
“Why in Equestria that mare wants me to shop when we’re both leaving tomorrow morning, I just don’t get,” she muttered under her breath. “The apples are gonna go bad before she gets back from her show.”
But who was she to question the strange ways of her lovely Octavia, the Lady—capitalization required—of the house? The mare Vinyl shared so many laughs with and stood by her side during her proudest moments, and the very same she could always come home to and find comfort in her embrace, no matter what troubled her.
Not to mention the very muse that guided her hooves whenever she wrote a new song.
Vinyl chuckled. Sometimes she found herself wondering if there wasn’t some small part of Octavia that cringed whenever she heard “I was thinking about you when I wrote this, what do you think?”
Of course, Octavia would deny it. She always did.
She gave a smile that made the world brighter than even Princess Celestia’s shining sun and wrapped Vinyl in a tight hug as she praised her work, then kissed her cheek.
It wasn’t her thing though. Octavia preferred the chamber orchestra style or old, classic rock, if the right mood hit her. But, if anything, that only made her praise all the more special.
Octavia knew the work Vinyl put in and could respect the innovation, even if the product didn’t suit her tastes.
Speaking of … Vinyl wrinkled her snout, her eyes flitted back to the list. “Since when does Tavi drink rum the night before she travels? Hay, since when does she drink rum when it’s not Friday night and we’re out with Pinkie and Dash or Lyra and Bonnie?” She blinked then glared at the list as if it were Octavia herself. “And since when do I not tip Berry well? I tip her too much as is!”
The list didn’t answer. Octavia must have trained it to be as maddeningly insolent as possible, just like all her others.
Payback for all her little one-liners and pranks, no doubt.
Put a bit of chili sauce in her dumb tea one timeand suddenly, I’m getting shade when she’s not even next to me. Vinyl stopped and perked up her ears. “She’s low on tea leaves, and she’s gonna want some to help wake up tomorrow.”
Turning her attention from the list, she headed into the marketplace in search of the herbalist’s stand. A heavy sigh escaped her lips, she readied herself for another episode of feigning herbal knowledge.
The things she did for Tavi.
And the things she does for me, she thought. The smile returned to her lips. A fair trade off, really. Especially given how Tavi seemed to brighten up whenever she brought some home.
Little things, as she might say. Little things meant a lot to Tavi.
Just as Vinyl was about to step up to the herbalist stand, a blur of pink shot before her and she found herself nose to nose with Pinkie Pie.
“Hey, Vinyl!” Pinkie chirped. She bounced in place, her lips curved into an almost impossibly wide smile. “How’s my favoritest, most awesome DJ in all Equestria doing today?”
Sometimes, Vinyl tried not to smile back at her. A test of her will against that infectious grin.
It never worked.
She smiled back and nodded. “Doing alright. How ‘bout you, Pink?”
“Busy as a buzzing bumbly bee planning the most terrific, stupendous, amazing birthday party ever!” Throwing her hooves wide, along with a generous shower of confetti and streamers she pulled from Celestia-knows-where, Pinkie beamed. “It’s gonna be great! You’re gonna love, love, love iiiiiiit! I’ve got it all set up so the early part is family friendly, then, once we shoo all the little colts and fillies away, and the Cakes put the twins to bed—bam!” She leapt and struck a pose. “We’ll have all the rum and cider for days! How’s that for a Vinyl birthday?”
Vinyl blinked. “A Vinyl birthday?” she repeated, tilting her head to one side. Her horn flashed, she tugged her shades down to look at Pinkie unobscured. “Pinkie my birthday’s not until next … oh.”
Right.
Her birthday was next week.
In the middle of her Manehattan gigs.
She felt as though a block of ice fell into the pit of her stomach. Vinyl removed her purple shades completely, leaving her cerise eyes naked for the world to see.
Something she did only in Ponyville or around her family. Only they got to see Vinyl Scratch rather than loud, bombastic DJ Pon-3.
“I’m really sorry, Pinkie,” she said, giving a crooked smile. “I completely spaced on my birthday when I planned my shows. I’ll be in Manehattan for the next three weeks.”
For a moment, Pinkie stood completely still, as though frozen in time. Slowly, her bright smile began to fade, her ears drooped low as she deflated like one of her party balloons.
A pitiful whimper escaped her lips. “B-But … your birthday!” Pinkie’s shoulders slumped. She looked up at Vinyl, her baby blue eyes brimming with tears. “Can’t you change it? It’s within a week!”
Vinyl cringed. “Sorry, Pinkie. No can do. Already got the place booked and sold out, good ponies bought the tickets, you know how it is.” She ducked her head and shrugged. “Can’t exactly call it off last minute because of a party even if I wanted—and I do!” she said before Pinkie could get started. “But it’d really kill my rep, and that’d make it awful tough to get gigs. Can’t make any money if I can’t book those, y’know. I’d have to go back to working in a music store or something.”
She felt a cold shiver run down her spine, all the way to the tip of her tail. There was no way she was going back to that dang store.
Still, she couldn’t help but feel a little bad. Pinkie put a lot of effort into her parties, especially for her friends.
With a heavy sigh, Vinyl ran a hoof through her mane. “How about we just do the party when I get back?” she offered.
Pinkie’s ears perked up, she sniffled and stood up straight. “Really?”
“Yeah.” Vinyl smiled and patted her shoulder. “You can make it as big and as loud as you want. Bring another DJ or something so we can have music, whatever.”
Letting out a big, exaggerated gasp, Pinkie bounced back. Her eyes wide and the bright grin back on her muzzle. She squealed and wrapped Vinyl in a rib cracking hug, babbling at a mile a minute about plans and ideas for the new additions before she let go and shot off toward Sugarcube Corner in a trail of dust and with a new mission fresh on her mind.
Vinyl rubbed at her ribs, giving a pained hiss. One of these days, that mare is gonna hug me to death, I just know it.
Still, Pinkie had a party to plan and she was happy again. That had to count for something, even if it meant Vinyl had to wait three weeks to see the result.
“Good things come to those who wait, yada yada yada,” she said, chuckling to herself as she turned to do her shopping. She had a list to complete and dinner with a beautiful mare.
Not necessarily a bad way to spend the night before they left for their shows.
If there was one thing Vinyl and Octavia could always agree on, it was that music was everywhere. Just as they displayed it proudly in their home, with music notes, different records, and a living room designed for them both to practice their respective genres, they could find it wherever they went in life.
The jingle of bits in her pouch as it bounced against her chest, the tinkling of unicorn magic providing a soothing melody against the rustle of groceries shifting in the confines of a paper bag, the way the box top from Carousel Boutique shifted and bounced if she moved it just right, even the steady cadence of her hooves as she trotted up the dirt path to the front door of her home.
For Vinyl, it translated to pulsing beats and whirring synthesizers that made her bob her head and give her tail a little shake while she wrapped her magic around the door handle and pushed it open.
As soon as she entered, Vinyl found herself assaulted by the familiar scents of vegetables sautéed in soy sauce and roses, Octavia’s favorite, and most expensive, perfume. The one so special she only wore it on special occasions.
Vinyl stopped in mid step. She did a bit of quick figuring in her head. Their anniversary wasn’t for another three months, she’d made note of it on every calendar she had, as she’d done since the one and only time she forgot.
What was it, then?
The sound of hoofsteps against the tile floor made her ears perk up. “Vinyl?” Octavia called.
“Hey, Tavi,” Vinyl greeted. She walked toward the kitchen, with her bag and box floating along behind her, and met her girlfriend just as she set hoof on the living room carpet.
She took one look at Octavia and stopped. Her heart beat in her chest, a fiery blush colored her cheeks.
Octavia was always one to try to look her best when performing or out for dinner. At home, she looked beautiful, of course, but a bit more casual.
Not so tonight.
Light shone off her freshly brushed coat, her long, flowing mane trailed behind her, those full, charcoal gray hips swayed as she slowly trotted toward Vinyl. She smiled, lighting up the world like a thousand shining suns, and leaned in to nuzzle Vinyl’s nose. “Thank you for taking care of that, dear,” she whispered. “Dinner is ready. I made your favorite.”
The scent of roses filled Vinyl’s senses. Her eyes fluttered shut. “Y-Yeah. I can smell it. Smells nice.” Hesitantly, she opened her eyes and gave nervous flick of her tail. “I didn’t, uh, forget something important, did I?”
Octavia gave a melodic laugh. “Oh, Vinyl!” she said, heaving a mock sigh. “You may have, but I didn’t.”
Before Vinyl could give reply, Octavia stole a kiss.
Vinyl let her eyes flutter shut again, she tilted her head to the side and melted into it. A soft hum sounded from the back of her throat as Octavia nibbled on her bottom lip.
Her tail swished. Vinyl maneuvered herself until her chest was pressed up against Octavia’s, all the while she fought to keep the grocery bag aloft lest she drop her precious cargo.
Octavia broke the kiss far too soon for her liking, though not before pecking her nose and giving a playful nip.
Vinyl couldn’t help but let out a sharp gasp, her muscles tensed as she tried to press herself closer. “Tavi!” she whined.
“Happy early birthday, love,” Octavia whispered huskily. “And many happy returns.”
The burn in Vinyl’s cheeks spread to the very tips of her ears. “Am I the only one who forgot?”
“You are a little scatterbrained sometimes, yes. But you remember the important things.” Stealing another kiss, Octavia nosed into her cheek. She broke away and took the grocery bag in hoof, checking inside for the items she’d asked for.
Vinyl allowed herself a knowing smile as she watched Octavia’s eyes light up, her chestnut brown tail swishing merrily when she noticed there was a extra little something there just for her.
Octavia met her gaze, fixing her with a tiny smile and a hooded stare that made her heart race. “You didn’t have to get me tea,” she said.
“I wanted to. Figured it’d help you wake up tomorrow morning.”
Humming, Octavia nodded. Her tail swished again. “Thank you for being so thoughtful. Now, come along,” she said, placing the bag upon her back and turning to trot toward the kitchen doorway, humming a little tune to herself. “And thank you for picking everything up.”
Vinyl beamed. “No problem. Where do you want your scarf? Coat rack?”
“No, just set it on the counter,” Octavia called over her shoulder. “I’ll put it away after dinner. You go ahead and sit down, love.”
With a shrug, Vinyl followed along into the kitchen. As asked, she deposited the box on the counter, then continued on toward the small two-seater table off to the side, ready to see if she could at least help out with set up.
Octavia had it set for them already. Two plates, silverware set on black linen cloths, small rock glasses in place, a small icebox with a pair of small ice cube tongs, a pair of water glasses with a jug of apple cider between them, and—Vinyl had to chuckle—a small flower vase with white and blue carnations.
Like they were in a classy restaurant.
How very Octavia.
Still, that left her with nothing to do to help. Vinyl began to trot over to Octavia, an offer to help her put groceries away or move whatever remained over on the tip of her tongue.
Without turning, Octavia shook her head. “Sit down, Vinyl,” she scolded playfully. “I can manage the rest.”
“No can do.” Vinyl snorted. “You know I’m supposed to set stuff up since you do all the cooking. You’re breaking the natural order, here, having me sit and do nothing and whatnot.”
“Vinyl.” The stern tone in Octavia’s voice made her stop short. Her ears perked up.
Slowly, Octavia turned to fix her with a sidelong stare. “Sit down,” she repeated, a small smirk playing on her lips as she deftly spooned the vegetables into a large serving bowl and placed it on her back, then took the bottle of rum in hoof. “You can help with dishes after we’re done. Until then, you’ve done more than enough.”
Vinyl frowned, but took her usual seat, her back facing Octavia as she got comfortable. “It’d be easier if you just let me levitate it,” she grumbled, crossing her hooves over her chest.
Chuckling, Octavia trotted over and deposited the rum and serving bowl on the table. Then, without warning, she swooped down upon Vinyl and nuzzled between her ears.
A rush of warm breath over the tip of her left ear made Vinyl arch her back and give a few quick flicks, she sucked in her lips to hold back a gasp. “T-Tavi!”
“We are celebrating your birthday early, Vinyl Scratch,” Octavia whispered huskily. “I will spoil, pamper, and lavish all affection on you I wish, and you, my love, will enjoy it.” Pausing a moment, she nipped at Vinyl’s ear.
Vinyl squeaked and tried to squirm away. “Tavi!”
“As much as I want,” Octavia repeated, before kissing the top of her head. She trotted toward her seat, flicking her tail across Vinyl’s snout as she added, “Now take off those sunglasses of yours. You know you’re not supposed to wear them at the dinner table.”
Wrinkling her snout, Vinyl tried to pretend she didn’t feel the blush coloring her cheeks. She removed her glasses and levitated them over to rest beside the box, then took the linen and folded it in her lap.
Octavia smiled and nodded as she gracefully slid into her seat.
That was always something she got Vinyl on. Not so this time.
Humming the same tune as before, Octavia took the serving spoon in hoof and looked to Vinyl. A silent prompt for her to hold out her plate.
In their long-practiced routine, Vinyl levitated her plate out, watching as Octavia began dishing up her portion. After a couple generous spoonfuls, she spoke up. “That’s good.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, that’s plenty. Thanks.” Vinyl let her plate hover to a rest before her. She drew in a breath through her nose, and smiled at the scent. “How do you make this stuff so good?”
Octavia gave a coy smile. “A showmare never reveals all her secrets,” she teased, tapping the side of her snout before serving herself. Though, not without adding, “And it’s ‘so well’, dear.”
Feeling a bit cheeky, Vinyl waggled her ears. “It’s my early birthday. No correcting my Equish tonight.”
Her girlfriend simply chuckled. “Well, if I must put up with it, I suppose it’s a good thing I asked you to get rum.” She opened the bottle and poured a bit into her glass, but hesitated a moment over Vinyl’s. “I couldn’t remember if you took yours with ice, so I thought it best to set some out for you.”
“I take it either way.” Vinyl levitated the miniature tongs, plucked two cubes from the bucket, and dropped them in her glass, then nodded to Octavia. “Kinda hot today, so I’ll take it cool.”
“I thought as much.” Octavia poured a bit in, then set it aside. She picked up her glass and sat back in her seat. “Normally, I wouldn’t drink the night before traveling, but since we’re celebrating, I thought it would be nice to pretend my little rule didn’t exist.”
Vinyl snickered. “I did wonder why that was on the list.” She brought her glass to her lips, eying the rich amber nectar for a moment to appreciate the coloring. “How much do you think is okay?”
“I’ll stick with two glasses.” She shrugged and added, “You can drink as much as you feel comfortable with, but I’m not letting you sleep in if you get drunk. Our train leaves at nine.”
“Two it is, then. Traveling with a hang-over is the absolute worst.” Vinyl shot her a wink. “Right next to trying to carry your cello without magic. You’re crazy.”
Octavia scoffed, her violet eyes shone with mirth. “I believe this is where I should channel Rainbow Dash.” Clearing her throat, she pasted a cocky smirk on her muzzle and spoke in her best imitation of Rainbow’s scratchy voice, “Do you even lift, mare?”
Laughing, Vinyl winked. “Only when I have to, and only when I know I won’t eat dirt when I try.” She raised her glass to Octavia and smiled. “Cheers, Tavi.”
“Cheers, love. Happy birthday.”
They nodded and raised their glasses, then drank together.
Vinyl downed hers in one gulp and let out a contented sigh, the cool air teased and tickled the back of her throat against the familiar sting of rum. “Ahh!” She held the glass in front of her as if to survey the lingering trickle of rum. “Berry always gets the good Neighrish stuff.”
Across from her, Octavia coughed and gasped. “That she does!” she wheezed, reaching for her cider to wash away the stinging aftertaste.
“Y’know you don’t have to drink this stuff if it’s too strong. We should still have some of that wine you like.” Vinyl made to rise out of her seat, but Octavia waved her off.
“N-No, it’s fine, dear!” she said in between coughs. “I enjoy a bit every now and again, but my tastes aren’t quite as strong as yours.”
Vinyl frowned and set her glass down. She bit her bottom lip, eying the bottle of rum as if it were a dog that had made a mess on their carpet.
There was no need to ask why Octavia told her to pick. She already knew the answer.
It’s my early birthday night. Vinyl gave a rueful smile. And Tavi means to drink her second glass with me, no matter what I say.
With a flick of her magic, Vinyl refilled their glasses and quickly capped the bottle before Octavia could object. “Ready for a second?” she asked, giving a chance for her to back out.
True to form, Octavia raised her eyebrow as she lifted her glass, her small, knowing smile was back in place. Almost like she wanted to snort and make some smart-mouthed comment, but restrained herself to that smile by the shear force of how amazingly prim, proper, and ladylike she was at heart.
Always the mare anypony would be lucky to bring home to their parents.
Chuckling to herself, Vinyl drank her second glass, then put it down on the table. She licked her lips clean of rum and beamed “Thanks for drinking with me, Tavi.”
Octavia stayed quiet a moment. She held a hoof to her chest, her muzzle red as she tried her best to hold down another bout of coughing.
She took a deep breath and a sip of her cider, then nodded. “You’re welcome, love.” Forcing a grin, she gestured to the food. “Hungry?”
“For your cooking, always.” Vinyl took her fork and knife in her magic, waggling her ears at Octavia. “I promise I’ll at least try to mind my manners this time.”
With an amused snort, Octavia reached for her own. “I promise I won’t smack you when you inevitably abandon them. Only tonight.”
“Only tonight.”
If death came for Vinyl Scratch tonight, she would go quite happily.
Leaning back in her seat, she folded her hooves over her belly and let out a deep sigh. She covered her mouth to stifle what could have been a rather loud belch, but snickered when she noticed Octavia flick an ear toward her.
“I take it my savage beast of a girlfriend enjoyed her meal,” Octavia teased.
Vinyl made a show of licking her lips. “Enjoyed ain’t the word, Tavi. That was great.”
“Glad you enjoyed it, love.”
“Got a question for you, though.”
Octavia tilted her head. “Oh?”
“Why’d you have me get apples? We didn’t eat them, so they’re gonna go bad.”
“Planning ahead for tomorrow,” Octavia replied. “That way we have something to eat during the train ride.”
“Huh. Good thinking.” Vinyl wrinkled her snout. “How come I never thought of that?
“Because between the two of us, I’m the one who thinks of the little details of her travel plans.”
Snorting, Vinyl playfully huffed and stuck out her tongue. Both of them knew she had no argument, so there was little point in even trying to pretend.
“That aside …” Octavia stood, wincing as she stretched her legs. “If you’ll wait just a moment, I have your birthday presents wrapped and ready. Well, two of them, at least.” She turned and began to trot out of the kitchen. “You’ll have to wait until after we take care of the dishes before you get that one.”
Vinyl sat up straighter. Her ears stood to full height. “Why not with the others?” she asked.
Octavia stopped just as she reached the doorway. Slowly, she turned to look over her shoulder at Vinyl and fixed her with a hooded stare. She licked her lips, her tail swished back and forth almost hypnotically. “You’ll see,” she purred. Raising a hoof, she pointed at Vinyl. “Now, close your eyes, love. No peeking.”
“Oh yeah? And what if I do?”
That beautifully silky tail stopped, then slowly moved to the side.
Vinyl felt her breath hitch in the back of her throat. She swallowed a lump. Dear Celestia, all the time Octavia spent carrying around that cello did wonders for her thighs and rump. Not to mention …
It took all her self control not to hum like she wanted dessert.
“You’ll see,” Octavia repeated, before turning and trotting out of the room, her hips swaying in perfect time with her tail.
Her heart raced. Vinyl licked her lips and fought down an excited whimper, squeezing her eyes shut as she did a little bouncing jig in her seat. Sweet, merciful Sisters, yes. Best girlfriend ever.
The cadence of Octavia’s hooves against the carpeted floor made her ears twitch. Vinyl sat stock still. The urge to steal a peek was almost too much to bear. “Tavi?” she called. “Can I open my eyes yet?”
“Patience is a virtue,” Octavia shot back, her voice tinged with amusement. Her hoofsteps grew louder as she approached, Vinyl heard the soft crinkle of wrapping paper being set down on the table and slid toward her.
Curious, Vinyl reached out with her hooves and felt around for it. Her hoof brushed against the corner of a small box, she traced over it, tilting her head as she found a smaller box on top of it. “Uh …”
“You may open your eyes now,” Octavia said. “And open the bigger one first.”
With a foal-like cheer, Vinyl opened her eyes and surveyed the pair of boxes. Both were wrapped in a cream-white paper and tied with light and dark blue ribbons. To her amusement, the face of each box bore a rather elegantly drawn replica of her paired eighth note cutie mark.
She raised a brow and levitated the smaller box off its larger counterpart, setting it to the side as she picked the other up and made as though to give it a good shake.
A stern glare from Octavia stopped her just in time.
“Fine, I’ll be boring and proper,” she quipped, snickering as she began untying the ribbons and searching for the seams in the wrapping paper. With deft ease, she sliced through the tape and tugged the seam apart so she could make a nice, neat tear down the middle.
A black box bearing the familiar image of a mare with her eyes closed, a pair of headphones covering her ears, and a contented smile on her muzzle. Beat Princess headphones.
Vinyl let out a gasp. “You got me Beat Princesses?”
“Open the box,” Octavia said, waving her hoof in a small circle.
Cerulean magic cut through the tape and tugged the box apart until she found them resting in a soft, black velvet housing. They were cream-white, just like her coat. Vinyl beamed as she let her hoof brush against the cool metal that made up the head band, then trailed around the earpiece. The little filly inside her was practically bouncing off the walls.
The grown mare she was, however, did a bit of quick figuring. Even with the bits they brought in with all their shows and saved by living in a smaller town, Beat Princess headphones were pricey.
“You didn’t have to spend so much on me,” she said, turning her attention to Octavia.
Her girlfriend scoffed and flicked her tail. “We both save plenty, love. I make more than enough to splurge on occasion, so I can afford to spoil you when I please.” Her lips tugged into a fond smile. “You should look at them a bit more closely, though. I had them put something on for you.”
Vinyl raised an eyebrow. Lighting her horn, she levitated the headphones up and gave them a quick once over. Her jaw dropped when she noticed her cutie mark proudly displayed on the right earpiece. “Tavi—”
“Check the other side, too.”
Confused, she turned it over in mid air. Her breath caught in her throat.
On one ear, her own cutie mark. On the other …
Biting her lip, Vinyl traced the soft violet treble clef, the very same as Octavia’s own cutie mark. “Tavi …” she muttered.
“It was a bit extra,” Octavia admitted, sniffing as she gave a dismissive wave of her hoof. “But, as I said, I am paid more than enough for my appearances, and can afford spending sprees here and there. Besides, now you can carry a little piece of me with you even when our schedules keep us apart.”
Tears stung at her eyes. Vinyl looked down and quickly wiped a hoof across her face. “Has anypony ever told you that you’re the best girlfriend a mare could ever ask for?” she said without raising her head.
Giving a low chuckle, Octavia stepped closer and nosed into her mane. “I don’t believe so,” she replied. “And you still have two more gifts, one still to unwrap.”
Vinyl leaned in to give her easier access, she let out a happy hum as her eyes fluttered shut. “Could be happy enough with these.”
“You’ll be happier if you open the next one.”
“Oh yeah? How happy?”
Octavia gave her ear a playful nip. “There’s only one way to find out.”
Vinyl fixed Octavia with a sidelong look, then floated the smaller present up and removed the wrapping paper to reveal a small, thin, plain white box. She pulled the top off and peered inside.
A pair of tickets stared back at her. One for a trip to Manehattan, leaving at nine in the morning on Monday, the other for a return trip to Ponyville.
The morning after Vinyl’s last show.
She blinked twice, slowly turning to meet Octavia’s gaze.
Octavia looked back at her with a warm smile. “I may not be able to control my schedule when the Royal Symphony holds concerts, but I can certainly find ways to be with you for your actual birthday. Besides, I haven’t been to Manehattan with you in ages.” She paused and winked. “And I can’t think of any reason why spending three weeks with my girlfriend in her hometown would be a bad—”
Vinyl leapt out of her seat and threw her hooves around Octavia, hugging her as tight as she could. She nuzzled into the crook of Octavia’s neck and squeezed, almost as though she were afraid the wonderful mare in her grasp would slip away or fade into nothing should she let go.
She clenched her eyes shut and gave silent thanks to Celestia, Luna, Cadence, Twilight friggin’ Sparkle, whoever had gifted her the right to love the mare in her hooves.
“You,” Vinyl began, her voice cracking, “are the best.”
Strong hooves wrapped around her shoulders, returning her hug with equal fervor. “You—” Octavia’s warm, soft lips brushed against hers “—are worth it.” Patting Vinyl on the back, she pulled back and cupped her hoof under Vinyl’s chin. “Much as I’d love to stay like this, we have dishes and your last present. I have no intent on breaking from the latter to do the former, so I’d like to get that out of the way posthaste.”
Vinyl let out a whine, but released her embrace. “Stupid dishes,” she muttered, fixing them with a glare that could’ve made a manticore run to its den. “Needs to be a way to make them clean themselves. Like that one play where the stallion fell in love with a really selfish mare who got cursed and became a changeling.”
“Beauty and the Beast?” Octavia supplied.
“Yeah, that one!”
“I’ll be sure to submit a request for research into such a spell. I’m sure Twilight would find it a top priority, right next to her lessons with Starlight.” She bumped her hip against Vinyl’s, nudging her toward the table. “Until then, I’m afraid we’ll have to do this the old-fashioned way.”
Dang.
Huffing, Vinyl lit her horn and levitated all the plates and cups off the table, floating them along behind her as she trotted over to the sink. While she might not be Twilight Sparkle, years of practice fine tuning her levitation spells had more than given her a knack for holding multiple things aloft and maneuvering them about with relative ease.
She deposited everything in the sink as orderly as she could. With a quick twist of the faucet, warm water cascaded down upon the dishes and washed away the remnants of their meal.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Octavia stepping up to reach for the sponge. Vinyl snatched it out of the way with her magic and tossed the towel over instead.
“You cooked and set,” she said. “I’ve got washing, so you dry them.”
Octavia fixed her with a wry smile, but took the towel without complaint. As Vinyl began to wash and pass over a few dishes, she hummed the same tune as before. It was a light, cheerful melody the likes of which Vinyl hadn’t heard before.
Vinyl perked up her ears. Her scrubbing began to match the tempo, she smiled and kept quiet while she enjoyed the improvised tune. Slowly, she began to bob her head, her tail even began to swish from side to side like a metronome.
She felt Octavia’s silky smooth tail brushed against her thigh. Her body tensed up, a blush spread across her cheeks. “T-Tavi?”
“Hmm?” Octavia broke her song to fix her with a sidelong look. “Problem?”
Before she could answer, Vinyl felt Octavia trail her tail higher, tickling just beneath her cutie mark in a slow, sensuous circle. She bit her lip, holding back a whimper as she passed a plate over to Octavia.
With a smile, Octavia accepted the plate and resumed her humming. The tip of her tail wandered toward Vinyl’s rump, trailing slowly, brushing against her with a caress softer than their bedsheets.
A plate faltered in her magic.
Octavia tutted and plucked the plate out of the air so she could set about drying it. “Careful, dear. Wouldn’t want to break one of these, would we?”
Vinyl placed a hoof on the counter to steady herself. “Sorry,” she squeaked. “But somepony is distracting me!”
“Oh, my! What a terrible thing to do!” Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Octavia bring a hoof to her mouth as if to stifle a gasp. But it couldn’t hide the mischief shining in her eyes. The length of her tail brushed against Vinyl’s backside as the tip teased and tickled seemingly at random. “I suppose you’ll just have to try to keep focused until we’re done!”
Her ears pinned back against her scalp. Vinyl held back a retort, instead she just scrubbed the serving bowl as hard as she could. Each scrub held just a bit of her defiance.
Vinyl refused to succumb, not this time. No matter how much Octavia knew about winding her up, she wasn’t getting her way.
As if reading her mind, Octavia hummed a low note. Vinyl watched her closely, her eyes narrowed as she watched Octavia’s small smile grow, spreading across her muzzle in a decidedly smug smirk.
Then she found out why.
The tip of Octavia’s tail circled around her dock.
A gasp escaped her lips. Her magic flickered and faltered, Vinyl panted for breath, she gripped the countertop tight to try and steady herself.
She felt Octavia rub their shoulders together, her warm muzzle pressed into the crook of her neck. There was a sharp pinch of teeth nipping at her, then a soft, soothing lick. Octavia made her way toward Vinyl’s ear, taking her time to draw out her torment.
Each nip, each lick drew a gasp. A lingering kiss made Vinyl whimper and arch her back. “Tavi!” she whined. “You’re killing me!”
Warm breath washed over her ear. “And you love it,” Octavia whispered. She blew on Vinyl’s ear, drawing a shiver as Vinyl tried to squirm away. Tutting, Octavia quickly wrapped a hoof around Vinyl’s shoulders and pulled her in tight. “Where do you think you’re going?” she crooned.
“N-Nowhere! Just, um, places?”
“Places, hmm?” She nuzzled Vinyl’s ear, dotting it with a fluffy kiss. “And just what places were you thinking of going?”
Vinyl’s knees shook. She tried to focus on the dishes, taking a fork in her magic and scrubbing it far more thoroughly than it probably needed. “Oh, uh, just, y’know, around.”
“Is that so?” Her breath tickled Vinyl’s ear as she ran her tongue along the outside edge, all the way to the very tip. “Perhaps I could make a recommendation for where your ‘going places’ might take you next.”
“Wh-Where—ohgeezTaviplease!” Vinyl couldn’t help but prance in place as she let out a needy moan. “Where’d you have in mind?” she asked in a rush.
Octavia teased her ear tip for a moment longer, alternating between nibbling and flicking her tongue against it in a way that made Vinyl tilt her head back and mewl.
“I was thinking the bedroom,” she purred. Octavia nosed her way beneath Vinyl’s chin and nudged her away from the sink, steering her toward the doorway. “The perfect spot for a private concert, wouldn’t you agree?”
Vinyl felt her breath hitch in her throat. She thought to mention the unfinished dishes, but the words just spilled from her mouth in an incomprehensible babble. She squirmed again as Octavia’s husky chuckles tickled her neck.
Her hooves touched the carpet, her rump bumped against the wall as Octavia guided her backwards down the hallway leading toward their bedroom. Vinyl’s horn flickered, she tried to reach out with her magic to grasp the door handle. A quick nip just beneath her chin cut her spell off and nearly saw her slump to the floor if not for Octavia holding her steady.
“Now, now,” Octavia chided. “Stay on your hooves a bit longer.”
Easier said than done when she knew each and every spot to tease, and so delighted in hitting all of them with the same dexterity and expertise with which she played the cello. Happy hums and kisses, sweet nothings whispered in Vinyl’s ear after each gasp, each moan and plea for more.
Vinyl’s rump hit the door. The cool wood nearly made her jump out of her coat, she reared up so she could writhe away and pull it open with her magic.
Octavia seized the opportunity to pin her against the wall. With a hooded stare, she leered at Vinyl and stole a kiss. Her hooves wandered over Vinyl’s body before settling on her hips, holding her in place so Octavia could press their bodies together.“Why, hello there, love! Enjoying yourself?”
A low growl escaped her lips. Vinyl fixed her with a glare and tried to push against her, but to no avail. “Y’know, I’d be enjoying myself more,” she began, “if only I could move a little better and give my girlfriend the same treatment she’s giving me for once!”
“Hmm, that’s too bad.” Octavia pecked her nose. “You see, I planned our little concert out well in advance, and I’m afraid there won’t be any deviations from the program.” One of her hooves left Vinyl’s hip to push the door open, the other nudged her until she fell through the open doorway and landed clumsily on her hooves. “Also, I happen to know you’re enjoying every second of this just as much as I am, love. So—”
Vinyl squealed as she felt Octavia nip at her rump, she pranced toward their bed, her tail swishing wildly.
Octavia trotted right alongside her, coaxing her to lay on the bed, so she was staring up at the smiling mare before her. “—I’m afraid you have no choice but to submit to your fate and be loved. Thoroughly.”
As she lay on her back, gasping for breath, Vinyl let her head fall back against the mattress. She closed her eyes and reached out blindly with her hooves. “C’mere,” she whispered. “Please, for the love of Celestia, I need you, Tavi!”
Chuckling, Octavia nuzzled her nose. “I know, love. And I need you as well.” But rather than join Vinyl, she pulled away.
Vinyl gave a whine and tried to catch her by the shoulders and pull her in again. “Then stop playing with me!” she cried, rolling herself over so she could glare at Octavia.
“I’m not. But, as I said before, I have a private concert planned for you.” Octavia winked and gestured to her left.
Vinyl followed her hoof. There, sitting just a few steps from the foot of their bed, was her cello. All polished and waxed to perfection as it rested on a stand, with the bow at its side while both waited for their lovely mistress to take them in hoof and make music again.
Two sides battled within her. On one, not a want, but a need to have Octavia—her sweet, beautiful Lady—on top of her in their bed to enjoy the passion they shared for one another. Simply put, she needed Octavia with her right now.
On the other, the chance to watch Octavia play music was nothing short of a treat every chance she was granted. While Vinyl moved to the beat and let the magic of song give her a charge like no other, Octavia was something else.
Octavia became one with the music itself. A union so stunning, Vinyl could only gape in awe each time she took up her bow.
With a pitiful whine, Vinyl laid herself down on the bed. “Alright, but hurry!”
“Absolutely not!” Octavia scolded, flicking her tail across Vinyl’s nose before trotting to her cello with her nose in the air. “I wrote this piece especially for you,” she said, “and I will play it in its entirety.”
Vinyl perked up her ears. She raised her head off the mattress to fix Octavia with a quizzical stare, watching her take her bow in hoof and bring her cello off the stand, ready to play.
Octavia tossed her mane. Her eyes met Vinyl’s, never faltering as she brought her bow to touch the strings. Her right hind hoof tapped a rhythm against the floor, she smiled and closed her eyes, and began her song.
With unmatched skill, her hoof pressed against the frets while she guided her bow across the strings, the cello’s low notes filled the room, starting soft like the distant rumble of a thundering herd. Her back arched, she stood to her fullest height and swayed lightly as if dancing.
The melody filled their small bedroom. Vinyl sat transfixed, her mouth hung open as she watched her love lose herself to the world around her and join with the music once again.
No matter how many times she saw it, Vinyl could never get enough of the sight. She’d heard tales of Princess Celestia’s majesty when she performed the Summer Sun Celebration, or Princess Luna’s brilliance when she took part in her first Moon Raising of the Winter Solstice, both spoken of as if they were living art.
Octavia’s music was the very same. From the way she smiled at her audience before giving her entire being to her song to the dexterity with which her hooves danced across the frets and guided the bow to coax forth the sounds of raging thunder, the imposing roar of a guard battalion, or even two lovers entwined together, lost to their love and lust for one another.
Without the Royal Symphony’s rigid guidelines, Octavia could express herself freely. A sight reserved only for those willing to pay a Princess’ Ransom to have such a prodigy to entertain them …
Or Vinyl.
Octavia’s eye cracked open. Vinyl felt the breath hitched in her throat, her hoof trembled while she watched Octavia throw her head back and thrust her hips forward, swishing her tail.
Vinyl couldn’t help herself. She bucked her hips, a tiny moan escaped her lips as Octavia’s song began a steady climb, building up to the oncoming crescendo.
This was it. The reason she so loved Octavia’s playing.
She didn’t just hear the music or see Octavia losing herself to it.
Slowly, steadily, with each stroke of the bow, with each move of that hypnotic tail and those powerful hips, and the way Octavia smiled at her each time their eyes met, Vinyl was pulled out of Equestria and into the world of music.
In music, they were closer than ever.
The music, Octavia, and Vinyl were all that existed. They were all together as one.
Vinyl rolled onto her side. She sucked her lips in, only barely holding back a deep, throaty moan. Her hips moved in time with the rhythm, her breathing came in needy, ragged gasps.
She couldn’t look away. Octavia’s eyes bored into her own, that knowing smile was in place.
The crescendo hit at last, the song had reached its climax.
A few familiar notes Vinyl’s ears perked up. She knew this song. She’d known it for many years. It was the very same one Octavia hummed whenever they were together.
Octavia had written a song around the little tune she hummed, a song only they would ever know.
She lay still. Vinyl let her mouth hang open, gaping as the last notes faded away.
Octavia placed her cello back on the stand and fell onto her forehooves. Her coat shone with a light sheen of sweat, she reached up to wipe her brow.
Still, her eyes never left Vinyl’s.
She licked her lips and began to sashay toward the bed. Her tail swished, the smile gracing her muzzle grew into a full grin as she hopped onto the bed and cupped Vinyl’s face with her hooves. “I’ll never share it with anypony else,” she said. “It’s yours.”
Vinyl leaned back, her hooves found their way to Octavia’s hips. “I … wow. I don’t know what to say.”
“That you enjoyed it, I hope?” Octavia teased.
“Enjoyed? I don’t think there’s a word for it.” Vinyl darted forward and kissed her nose. “I love you.”
“And I, you,” Octavia replied. She trailed a hoof down to Vinyl’s chest and gently pushed her down until she laid on the mattress again. Her eyes seemed to dance. “And now, mares and gentlestallions, we have come to our grand finale. A duet featuring Octavia Melody and Vinyl Scratch.”
Vinyl let out a tiny meep as Octavia loomed over her. A crooked smile made its way across her muzzle. “S-So, what instruments are we playing for this duet?” she managed to force out.
Octavia simply smiled and lowered herself to lay on top of Vinyl. With a happy purr, she nuzzled against her nose.
“I’m partial to playing the Vinyl Scratch from time to time. I think you’ll find I’m … very well versed.”
