A Day of Rest
Soft warmth drifts in from the window, a gift from Celestia’s sun, and blankets the room. Rustling of blankets and sheets is followed by the flick of a switch and a flood of light rushing up to meet the bedside. Steam pours out from over the curtains as water impacts the shower floor.
She groans with the strain of rolling over, still fatigued from a long night of rest while wrapped in somepony else's hooves, and basks in the light of the sun. The torrent of water from the other room threatens to pull her back to the dream world but she refuses to, knowing what will be coming out of that shower, so she powers on.
Shuffling of hooves and an abrupt stop to the downpour gets her attention. This time she rolls over with no troubles, too excited to care about being tired, to await the arrival of the angel she's been looking for her whole life.
A few seemingly endless moments later a charcoal-grey mare steps out, her black hair still retaining a decent bit of water, with a towel strewn over her back which was obscuring a beautiful pink musical note on her flank.
A few steps closer to the bed the charcoal mare comes before leaning up against it with her head inches from the other mare's. Quickly that gap is closed into a gentle kiss, and then another, and a few more for good measure.
"Good Morning Vinyl. The shower is open for you." She plants yet another kiss on her lips before dropping the towel and pulling an outfit from the wardrobe. Vinyl can't help but stare as she passes, drawn into the soft swaying of her hips.
She pauses to glance at Vinyl. "Well? I said the shower is open. Go on then." A chuckle falls off Vinyl's lips as she shakes herself from the sheets. She takes a moment to bask in the light before closing the distance to the other mare and surprising her with a peck on the cheek. "Mornin' to you too Tavi."
"Shower" is all Octavia said as she turned to continue getting dressed. Another small laugh escaped from Vinyl as she trotted off towards the shower room. "What are you laughing about?"
"Oh nothing. Just you." Vinyl called back as she rounded the corner. She popped her head out to see Tavi's response.
Playing right into Vinyl's hooves Tavi looked insulted by her words. "I'm funny to you now? Is that it?"
Vinyl giggled before answering "You're just cute, that's all."
Tavi gasped, placing a hoof over her chest and pretending to be surprised. "Me? Cute? Surely you jest." This time Octavia laughed and with that Vinyl returned to her assigned task.
~~~~~
Pots and pans shuffle around the kitchen as soft music drifts throughout the house like wind through the trees. Octavia slowly draws the bow across the strings, a brilliant melody of sound emanates from the ornate cello. Eggs crack in the other room and the sound of whisking follows. A toaster oven chimes as sizzling comes from the pan on the stove. A soft blue glow envelops the toasted bread as Vinyl prepares a couple plates.
"You have most certainly outdone yourself dear. I'm very impressed." Before Octavia was a large spread of food consisting of: omelets with cheese and onions, toast with butter and jam, a plate of fruits, and freshly cut pears. Two cups of fresh coffee accompany Vinyl to the table with the pot not far behind.
"Well I can't always have you doin' the cooking can I? You've treated me so well, there's no way I could just take it without repaying it." Vinyl takes her seat and begins pouring sugar and creamer into her cup. "And anyway, I couldn't possibly do it without you teaching me how."
"Oh Vinyl." Tavi waved a hoof in dismissal. "You learned all on your own. I just got you moving in the right direction." Her smile was anything but hidden as she began eating and also taking sips from her black coffee.
"Who's going to clean up?"
~~~~~
The sun was higher in the sky by the time the duo had stepped out of their home on the outskirts of Ponyville. They walked side by side with a light scarf wrapped around them both. Gentle wisps of wind blew by as the couple meandered towards Ponyville proper. Green trees and grass swayed in the breeze as the world was alive about them.
More and more voices became audible as they came closer to town. Ponies were mulling about town enjoying the good weather bestowed upon them. Sugarcube Corner, not out of the norm, was full of ponies coming in and out. Some stayed to sit and eat and others came in to pick up orders they'd placed. Mrs. Cake was shuffling around behind the counter handing out all manner of confections. Somewhere beyond that a pink blur could be seen zipping around the kitchen with cakes and cupcakes and you name it seemingly appearing out of thin air on the shelves behind Mrs. Cake.
Octavia gave a friendly wave to Mrs Cake, which she returned, before sitting in a familiar seat by the window. Vinyl scooted into the booth opposite and rested her head on her hooves, looking directly at the mare looking out the window in front of her, not even trying to hide her lovestruck eyes. Octavia turned to look back and even through the purple glasses that Vinyl wore everywhere she knew the look she was getting. Redness spread through her cheeks as she retaliated "Hey, cut it out. Other ponies could be watching."
Vinyl didn't break her gaze. She seemed hell bent on staring daggers of love into Tavi's eyes. "Like I care. You're just a little bit more important than they are."
Octavia rolled her eyes at that. "Just a little, huh."
"Okay. Maybe a bit more than a little." Octavia raised an eyebrow, pushing Vinyl further, "Okay, Okay, A lot more."
Octavia broke her composure, a smirk forming on her lips. "I thought so."
"Why do you tease me so?" Vinyl sighed and looked down at the table.
"Because I love you, idiot." Vinyl looked up as the pink blur came bouncing up to the pair, expertly bouncing a tray of sweets along with her, and set it down on the table between Tavi and Vinyl. Pinkie Pie beamed with a smile that would devour her entire face if it could. She opened her mouth to say something but before she was given a chance Mrs. Cake ushered her back, a clear sense of worry in her voice.
Pinkie disappeared as quickly as she came, a permanent bounce in her step regardless of the stress that comes with needing to get work done.
~~~~~
Sounds of trying to slurp the last bits of smoothie out of the bottom of a glass shook Tavi from her daze. Vinyl's gaze had still been enveloping Tavi's senses, so much so that neither of them noticed Vinyl emptying the glass. Tavi let out a subtle laugh, not trying to keep it refined, she wasn't working and the air was always safer with Vinyl there. Contrasting thoughts ran through their heads as Tavi envisioned the way Vinyl's presence scared off all the evils in the world while Vinyl thought of the evil things she'd do to Octavia in the evening. An equal blush was flush across their faces.
In an attempt to distract herself from those kinds of thoughts Vinyl looked into the glass and tried desperately to get the last bit of vanilla goodness out of the bottom. Tavi sat and watched for a moment before suggesting "Just use your magic dear."
Vinyl looked up, her straw still firmly in her mouth, and gave a dumbfounded look, having accidentally flinging some vanilla into Tavi's grey coat as she did so. She noticed the error of her ways too late as Tavi retailed, snatching the straw from Vinyl's mouth with hers, having looked around to see if anypony was watching first, and placing it into her smoothie instead. "I'm sorr-" She tried to apologize but Tavi closed Vinyl's lips with hers.
"Don't be. You just got a little of yourself on me. That's nothing compared to the usual." With that Tavi leaned back and watched. Vinyl continued to look on with a blank face, unsure what was just uttered. "I don't always spill smoothie on you. If anything this is the first time in a… Ohhhhhh… Oh." Vinyl's face shifted from white to red in less than a second. Her head hit the table in roughly the same time and Tavi could swear she could see smoke rising up from Vinyl's head.
"You devil temptress you." Vinyl mumbled into the table. The look on Tavi's face was one of accomplishment, and a smirk crossed her face as she slowly sipped the rest of her smoothie with the straw Vinyl had been using the minute before. Vinyl looked up to see Tavi staring right into her goggle-clad eyes. She was giving what could only be described as the most seductive stare in history as she leaned on both hooves slowly emptying the glass sat between them. Vinyl decided to spare herself the trouble of being seen blushing by once again burying her head in the table.
She had been thoroughly bested.
~~~~~
Walking around town was blissful as the Sun's beams continued to draw out the joy in the world. Both Vinyl and Octavia had left Sugarcube Corner hotter than the rays emanating from above but they'd cooled down in the shade outside the Ponyville Library. Octavia went in to return a book, leaving Vinyl with a peck on the cheek before slipping inside. It didn't take long for her to re-emerge and off they continued through Ponyville.
Reds, oranges, and purples splayed out across the sky. Patches of wispy clouds melded all of the pigments together into one massive watercolor painting. Only a sliver of sun was visible on the horizon as they walked, their destination not much further, and they made it in time to sit down and order before the sun fully slipped out of sight.
Lovely browns as well as black and a hint of white adorned Octavia's dress. Vinyl has been convinced to wear a similar styled dress of blues and whites with a splash of black. Octavia and Vinyl both attracted much attention as many a passer-by crossed past their table. "Isn't this lovely?"
Vinyl shifted in her seat, the dress not something she was used to wearing, as she replied "It certainly is. Although this isn't the most comfortable outfit I've ever worn."
Tavi scoffed at Vinyl's distaste. "Beauty is pain dear. Bear with to okay? For me?" She gave her best puppy dog eyes and Vinyl fell hard.
"Anything for you love." She'd been dragged in and there wasn't any escaping anymore.
"That's the spirit." Octavia smiled knowing she'd won the moment she got Vinyl out the door in that outfit.
Slowly the sky began to blacken and then light up once more with the thousands of tiny glowing stars showing their faces to the ponies of Ponyville. Accompanying those many stars was Luna's beautiful moon. Long gone were the days of shying away from the night as ponies came out to enjoy the sky Luna created just as they did her sister's. Fond were the ponies of Ponyville of the night life and lights twinkled from many a restaurant and shop across town.
~~~~~
Shuffling back to their house on the outskirts of town was far more difficult than the trip into town. Vinyl did not always handle her alcohol well and she was a bit more than just tipsy tonight. With her hoof wrapped around Octavia for support they trotted home.
As soon as the door opened Vinyl began to strip the dress off. Octavia scoffed but let it slide as Vinyl left a trail of fabric leading to the bedroom. Tavi brought a cup of water to the bedside as Vinyl planted face first into it. She hadn't made it all the way onto the bed and her hind legs were still on the floor at the bedside. Octavia placed the cup down and, much to her enjoyment, grabbed Vinyl by the rump and pushed her the rest of the way into bed. She rolled over and mumbled a thank you before sitting up to the best of her ability.
Octavia sat down on the bed and held the cup of water up to Vinyl, not trusting Vinyl's magic to hold it, and made sure she drank it. "I love you." Vinyl leaned into Octavia, the scent of alcohol still strong on her lips, and kissed her neck all over.
"I love you more." Octavia retaliated as she planted a kiss on Vinyl's forehead.
"Don't make me fight you. You know I love you more." Vinyl was too drunk to care about playing into Octavia's hands and continued the bout.
"If you say so." Tavi gave in, knowing she'd never beat a drunken Vinyl, and laid down.
Vinyl followed suit as she laid over Octavia, most of her body sat on top of hers, and began drifting off listening to Octavia's heart.
Several kisses and 'I love you's were passed around before Vinyl drifted off to sleep. Octavia wasn't far behind.
Cloaked in a blanket of moonlight the two slept, wrapped in each other's embrace.