Bows and Bass

“Uh... Octavia... there’s something I want to tell you.” Gray said. He now had her attention. No going back now.

“Yes, Gray?” She asked.

“I... really like you. It’s only been about a day, and I just can’t stop looking at you. And a high class mare like you with an average pegasus like-” Gray said.

Octavia’s eyes widened with surprise. “Gray... are you saying you...?”

“Yeah. I might as well say it. I’m in love with you.”

There was a short pause, and Gray became a little uneasy. After all, Octavia was staring at him with her mouth agape.

"Great. I screwed up, didn't I?" Gray said, sighing.

"Not at all." Octavia replied.

Gray quickly looked up, and noticed a small glimmer in Octavia's eyes. "Wait... you-"

"Yes. Gray, that was one of the bravest things anyone's ever done to me." She said. "In the span of a few days, you've developed feelings for me, and adressed it without worry!" Octavia said, reaching across the table to hold Gray's hooves. "I know what you're going to ask next." She said.

"You do?" Gray replied. Despite the events unfolding before him, he expected Octavia to be more surprised than him. He found it a little ironic.

"Yes. I will be your special somepony." Octavia said. Gray felt his heart rise in his chest. A wooden cart barreled down the streets of Ponyville, but the citizens ignored it.

"Wow. I don't know what to say. Thank you." Gray said, a wide grin on his face.

Vinyl soon trotted over, chugging another mug of cider. "What's goin' on here?" She asked. Her eyes widened behind her purple glasses as she looked at them holding hooves. "No way..." She muttered.

"Way." Gray chuckled. He looked up to see Vinyl's face contorted into a scowl, and before he could react, he saw Vinyl turn around, raise her hind legs, and POW!

Gray tumbled out of his chair, and he felt his head smash into the next table. His vision and hearing got blurry, and his head stung as hard as his eye.

"Vinyl Scratch! What has gotten into you?!" He heard Octavia shout.

"You saw what he was doing!" Vinyl cried.

The other patrons of the restaurant let out several cries and murmurs of concern as Gray's vision faded to darkness.

<><><><><><><>

"Ugh...." Gray groaned as his head was throbbing. "Why is it I always suffer from head injuries?" He said to himself. As his eyes readjusted, he found himself in a bed. Again. He wasn't in a hospital, but more in somepony's bedroom. There was a mirror on the adjacent wall, and he could clearly see he had a black eye. "What happened this time?"

"Vinyl happened." A voice next to him said. It was Octavia, and her smirk seemed to dull the pain.

"What do you mean?"

"She... overreacted." Octavia said. "She thought you were trying to... uh, entice me." She said, nervously tapping her hooves together.

"Entice you? Into what?" Gray asked.

Octavia leaned in close, and whispered something into Gray's ear. His cheeks flushed. "Oh..."

"Well, needless to say, Vinyl apologized. She was just trying to make sure I wasn't doing anything stupid." Octavia said. "And, frankly, I was a little quick to react too."

Gray quickly hopped out of the bed, and got a better look at his shiner. "Well, this doesn't look very pretty." He said.

Octavia put her hoof on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Gray. It'll be fine." She said. "Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. There was a cart crash last night. Just before Vinyl knocked you out."

"Was anypony hurt?" Gray asked.

"One mare had a fractured wrist. But other than that and a hundred bits worth of wine spilt, things are fine." Octavia explained.

"Well, that's good to hear." Gray said.

"So... how about that metal music?" Octavia asked.

"Sure thing." Gray said. "Let's try to find some CDs at a music store."

"Well, Vinyl owns the only music store."

"Oh. This is going to be awkward." Gray replied.

"She's said she's sorry. Just try not to draw attention." Octavia said, lightly pecking him on the cheek.

"I guess you're right." Gray said, heading out the door, with Octavia shortly behind. "Maybe a blast from a bass cannon was just what I needed."