//------------------------------//
// Beat + Melody = L.O.V.E 
// Story: Luv Sic 
// by chaosknight72 
//------------------------------//

The roar of the crowd was in full force as Vinyl and Spike ebbed out of the song and took a collective bow. Spike, panting mildly, looked positively energized from playing with so much vigor. His eyes shifted over to his partner in crime. She, much like himself, was panting and a fine layer of sweat matted her fur from how hard she had been working. Her two tone mane a bit more disheveled than usual. As he observed her, and felt the wave of energy surging all around him, an idea cut through the drake's mind. A wicked smile creeping along his maw as he grabbed a hold of the mic.

“Hey everypony!” he called out. The crowed almost exploded with the sheer amount of excitement and adrenaline still pumping through them from what they had just danced to. “If you like that one, you're gonna love this!” he shouted. His actions only served to whip the party goers into a frenzy. Screams and stomps thundering along the ground and in the air as Spike set the mic back up. Needless to say, Vinyl was caught off guard. Looking to the dragon, she could not help but cock an eyebrow and wonder just what the hay he was doing. They had only worked on the one track. Spike backed away from the mic and smiled up at her. “Think you can keep up with me?” he asked putting his thumb to his chest. There was an air of cockiness in his speech. The way he carried himself right down to the simple gesture. Is- is he challenging me?  Vinyl thought as she gazed  upon the dragon. That's when a smile stretched over her face swiftly. Her eyes narrowed to a glare as she accepted his call to action.

“Oh you are gonna regret this,” she said with a playful tone that was filled with determination. Spike narrowed his gaze again and simply smirked as he turned around to the keyboard. “Ready when you are,” she said approaching her sound board. Off in the crowd, three ponies were watched the duo rather perplexed. 

“Oh dear. He's about to do it again,” Octavia said looking directly at Spike as he got situated behind the keys. She could feel her it; her pulse started to quicken, her fur begin to stand slightly on end as she felt a charge run through her body. This feeling; the energy in the air, the way he was carrying himself. He was about to break some new ground, and all she could do was watch. Twilight looked at Octavia, her eyes following her gaze to the back of the young dragon. Spike himself was breathing rather raggedly it seemed. But soon it began to slow. He took a couple of deep breaths to regulate himself once more. He shifted; his head tilted downward, arms and shoulders relaxed, ready to get right back to doing what he loved to do. And though she knew she couldn't see it, Twilight knew her brother was sporting a smile. Or rather a smirk. A soft touch broke the unicorn from her silent musings on Spike's posture. Tilting her head, Twilight gave Rarity a ear to hear her.

“Twilight, what is Spikey doing?” Rarity asked softly into Twilight's now presented ear. She couldn't really get a good look at the dragon from her perspective, but she just had a feeling something was about to happen with the way the cellist was acting. Twilight looked to Rarity and than back  to Spike. Whatever words she was about to speak where cut off by the rapid sounds of keys plucking in quick succession. Rarity turned her attention back to the stage, trying her best to get a better view of what was going on. Sadly that was impossible with all the ponies in front of her. Somepony without that problem though had a bird's eye view of the goings on. Rainbow Dash's was trained on Spike with a great deal of curiosity as he began to play again. Though instead of the soothing and quick key strokes from before, this felt almost threatening with how fast he was moving. Like if anyone tried to disrupt his harmony, they were gonna have a bad time. Vinyl looked back at him, her eyes wide and the expression of sheer joy on her face was intense. This was something she could cut loose to. As soon as he got to what could be assumed as the base drop, she started pressing the buttons on her sound board, mimicking the notes he was playing. Lucky for her, the keyboard he was using allowed her to record his key presses and  log them in her equipment. That made things much easier for her. Ponies received chills down their spines as the two battled for dominance. Spike striking the keys with such force while Vinyl amped the bass to 12 and broke off the knob. The pumping synths and bass thumps smashed into the frenzied ponies and refused to let them go until Tartarus froze over. 

Within the crowd, Twilight could not really stop her body from moving about and dancing like a fool like everypony else. Dash doing loop-DE-loops in the sky as she just felt so alive. The only one acting with some manner of dignity and grace was Rarity, she was dancing rather elegantly in place. Constantly spinning and crossing her hooves. But through the intense chaos of moving and gyrating ponies, Octavia was standing pillar of wrapped attention. Her almost hypnotic stare locked on the dragon. To her, the only thing she could hear or see was him. She knew how he looked; determined, focused, alive and smiling. He was born to preform and wow crowds with his skill.  The only other pony who had done that so well, was working right along side him. Her gaze shifted to Vinyl and just watched the D.J work. There was so much more passion in her playing than she remembered. The smile, that unbridled smile that seemed to not want to quit no matter what. It was infectious, causing Octavia's own lips to curl upward along her muzzle as she watched them work. She was so locked in her trance, the musician didn't realize the song had reached it's end. A soft nudge connected with her side, causing her to shake her head a few times to knock her senses loose and see what was going on. Spike and Vinyl were taking their bows, Vinyl motioning to the dragon to give him a bit more praise.  As the screaming ponies cheered, Spike scratched behind his head with a bit of a sheepish smile as he took his bows and was allowed to leave the stage. The drake hopped down, landing just to the side of the stage and away from the dance floor as he began to trudge away. Spotting this action, Octavia tried her best to be polite as she weaved her way through the sea of partying ponies. 

“Well that was fun,” Spike said with a rather loud yawn as he walked away from the party. His eyes no longer held the luster and excitement of playing at such intense levels, but  now were rather tired out and his energy all but depleted. This was fair enough considering the rude awakening he received earlier in the day.  His body sagged, arms hanging limply and his tail dragging along the ground as he walked back to the library. Party or not, he still had choirs to do and he was gonna make sure they got done before he could take a nap.

“Spike!” Octavia called out, finally free of the mob. The drake turned his head and smiled brightly, some of his energy coming back to him. His body turned to fully face her as she trotted up along side him. The two exchanged smiles before continuing to walk. “That was some show you two put on. I have to admit, I have never heard dub-trot like that before,” she mused with a smile. This earned her a smile and a chuckle from the dragon.

“You liked that huh? Well, I told you I'd show you dub-trot you would like,” he said. His statement surprised and confused her for a few moments until she remembered something they had spoken of quite a while ago. Spike had mused about how dub trot mixed with classical instruments would sound, and how he would go about doing it. And this had been his answer to her. Taken a back and slightly flustered, the mare smiled rather shyly at the drake.

“I suppose you did keep your promise,” she said with a certain lightness in her voice, a soft blush on her muzzle as she kept her gaze forward and only stealing a few glances at him. When she saw that they were moving further and further away from the party, she turned to him with a quizzical look. “Where are you going?” she asked. This got Spike to look up at her, she could now fully see the dark circles  under his eyes.

“I have to head home and clean the library, and than I'm going to go take nap. It's not easy being dragon-napped again when you haven't even woken up yet,” he said with a light chuckle. This got a chuckle from the cellist as well, both parties now giggling quietly at Vinyl's overly enthusiastic actions. 

“That dose sound like quite the ordeal,” Octavia mused before looking to Spike again. “Would you appreciate some help?” she asked lightly. Spike felt his body lighten as if somepony had used magic to levitate him. 

“That would be awesome!” he said before wrapping his arms around her neck and hugging her. The show of affection caught Octavia off guard, her face turning very flush before her hoof instinctively wrapped around the dragon to embrace him. “Thanks Octavia,” he said softly before nuzzling her cheek. The affectionate nuzzle stopped when the young drake realized just what he was doing. Instantly his face turned beat red and he released the mare from his grasp. Moving away slightly as to give her some room. He chuckled nervously for a few moments before squeaking out an apology. “Sorry about that, I got a little excited. No pony usually helps me clean the library,” he said with a sheepish smile. “Well, Twilight dose sometimes, but that's usually on Re-shelving day...and that usually lasts a few days,” he said. His smile turning to a light grimace and shiver as he recalled the last re-shelving day. It took 3 days, 3 days of his life he would never get back. Arguing had taken up a majority of the first day; a bitter dispute between alphabetical order and the Dewey Decimal system. Spike felt himself ripped back to reality, finding that they had arrived at the library. “Huh...when did we get back here so fast?” he asked aloud before standing up on the tips of his toes to grab the door handle. 

As the door creaked open, the smell of old and musty tomes hit the two. It was not as abrasive as the stench of garbage or decomposing filth, but rather the smell of written words, hundreds of hours, and the deepest pools of knowledge. Spike took in the rich book scented air before releasing that same breath in a rather blissful sigh. “Gotta love the smell of books,” he said with a smile. Octavia placed a hoof to her chin as she suppressed a giggle. Spike lead the mare in, this being one of the few times she had ever ventured into the library. Her eyes scanned the rather generous amount of shelves that held multitudes of books.  And though at times it was a bit on the finer side, she could differently make out where the books had become rather dusty.

“So, what will we be handling today?” she asked looking to the dragon as he lead her in. She was indeed curious as to what his usual routine was.

“Well, considering the amount of dust,” he began after dragging a finger against a book's spine, “Dusting would probably be a good bet,” he finished. Looking back at her, he had to remember just how many of each cleaning supply he had. He knew he had bugged Twilight about getting sets rather than individuals. So hopefully their were two of each item, or at least dusters. Octavia continued looking through the books, each section clearly labeled and each book spine facing any onlooker. During a scan of another section, her eyes fell upon the piano. A soft hum played in her throat as she approached it and touched the polished wood. Her smile only growing a little more giddy as she looked over some of the sheet music that rested on it's top. She used her hoof and fetlock to look over and push some of the pages aside, effectively missing the engraved plaque that lay on it's side. Musical notes were far more interesting.  Something about this peace struck her. The more she looked over the notes, the more she felt this welling feeling building within her chest. This almost soul sucking hole that refused to be ignored. Why, why was she feeling this? Her eyes darted around the room for a moment, but could only see a murky blackness. This feeling, where had it taken her? Unfortunately, these feelings did not waver. In fact, they seemed to amplify. She could hear each note stuck on the keys. This somber feeling melody conveyed so much sadness, so much self loathing. Her forelegs wrapped around the barrel of her chest, trying desperately to keep her faculties about her. She hadn't even realized how tightly her eyes were shut until she felt something against her side. 

“Octavia, are you ok!?” Spike's voice called out to her. Immediately, her eyes opened. Pupils small, but soon dilated. Her body was lightly trembling, her heart ache steadily fading as she gradually made her way back to reality. When her body turned towards the drake, wayward tears ran down her face at the slightest of movement. The dragon saw this and reacted as quickly as he could. He ran from the room as fast as his legs could carry him to the kitchen. Snatching a cloth from a drying rack, he sprinted right back to Octavia. Her body was still trembling and her eyes were still leaking the coming tears. “What happened? I was only gone for a second?” he asked. Concern and worry laced his words as he took the cloth and dabbed it along the corners of her eyes, doing everything he could to help collect those strands of moisture. 

“I...I don't know...I was just,” she spoke. Her voice was quivering, as if she was on the verge of crying. Instead of letting her finish, the dragon simply pulled her down into him. His arms wrapped warmly around her neck as he stroked the back of her head and only spoke in soothing words of relaxation. Her eyes closed, her foreleg gently wrapping around him. This song. This melody. It was something that artists can only do maybe once in their life. And it may be over a stretch of songs, or just one. But regardless, it is their truest emotion. Wither it be of self or of others. The cellist could feel it deep within her core. This was Spike's soul. It lay bare on those simple sheets of parchment for the world to see if they could decode it. It took a few moments, but her trembling ceased. And after assuring Spike that she was alright, he released her. There were a few sniffles from the mare, but she had indeed recovered from her emotion burst. The issue was never pressed on what had happened to make Octavia react the way she did, Spike taking it as sometimes a pony just needs to open up. After a brief period of calming chat, the two did set to work. In his travels to the supply closet, he had indeed found both dusters. And since Octavia could not use magic, he opted to use the rolling ladder while she dusted the lower sections. Working with someone made the task so much easier than Spike could remember. Usually, it was just him doing most, if not all of the heavy lifting when it came to cleaning. But, sure as the sun rises, they finished in a rather swift fashion.

“Ahhhh...that's a good lookin' library if I do say so myself,” the drake said with a smile. Octavia smiled softly at his light boasting. Though she had to admit, the library did look good. “Well, I don't know about you, but I need a nap,” Spike said raising his arms to the sky, stretching out his body a little to the point of audible cracking.  The cellist could only giggle softly at him. However he was right. He had been awake for quite some time if Vinyl was to be believed. Her as well. Where did that mare find her boundless energy?

“Should I leave you to rest than Spike?” Octavia asked as she moved over to the couch. She hopped up relatively easily as Spike made his way over. Octavia noticed that the sounds of his feet were more or less soft scratching noises in comparison to the ever noticeable clip clop of hooves. 

“Yeah, I probably should, but there is something I wanted to talk to you about first,” he said as he passed her by to the desk that he now shared with Twilight. “I wanted to go over a few songs we could play during that benefit,” he said grabbing a quill and parchment. Octavia thought for a few moments before nodding her agreement. 

“Excellent idea. But after we get a few notes down, I would very much like you to get some rest,” she said with a soft expression. Spike nodded, getting himself situated on the couch next to her. The two musicians began to talk shop; Spike writing down their ideas while Octavia gave them. The ideas ranged from just some light arrangements to even preforming covers of other well known songs.  In some of these moments of speech, Spike often found himself stealing the the occasional glance at the lips of the cellist. They looked so soft, and they were soft. Incredibly soft as a matter of speaking.  The bitter sweet feeling of almost kissing her had not left his mind, and it wasn't going to for some time now. Even though they were talking about the music they would play, his mind seemed to wander to the music he wanted to make. He wanted to make her something. Something special, something from his heart. But what could it be? A hand written letter; express himself through crafty word play and thought out metaphors? That was one way, but what if that method was played out, or considered cheesy? That wouldn't work out. It had to be perfect. The perfect way to convey how he felt, and how he felt like their relationship was slowly turning into something more.

“Yes, that arrangement would work rather lovely. ...Spike? Don't tell me you're falling asleep on me,” Octavia asked looking to the rather distracted drake. Spike found himself gazing off into the farthest reaches of oblivion before she pulled him back. Maybe he was a little too tired after all.

“Sorry about that, what were you saying?” he asked looking to her. Octavia simply rolled her eyes lightly before restating what she had just finished saying.

“Well, I have a rather wonderful duet melody that we could play. It's about a half hour long, and we should be able to take short breaks between sets to rest our hooves. Or in your case, claws,” she said with a small smile. Spike entertained the idea for a few moments before writing it to the already expansive list.

“Got it. We have about 2 hours worth of music on here already. That should be enough,” he said looking over their notes. He felt a soft cheek press up against his own as he was looking over his notes. Apparently Octavia was rather comfortable with getting into the dragon's personal bubble of space, he head resting rather softly on his shoulder. Spike kept his focus on the paper, showing her all that he had written. Before he could speak however, the sound of the overhead bell rung and broke the serene grace of the library. The voices that followed were of friends rather than patrons. Looking over the back of the couch, Spike and Octavia observed Rainbow Dash, Twilight, and Rarity file into the library.

“Man that party was good,” Rainbow  breathed. She was in a relaxed stance; “laying” on her back as she hovered above the ground. Righting her posture, she touched down and trotted over to the couch. “Hey Spike. I didn't know you could play the piano,” she said with a bit of a glow in her cheeks. The smell of much harder cider was on her breath and the dragon could smell it. He didn't shrink away from the scent. As a matter of fact he and Twilight usually would have a glass each before bed to help them sleep better. Twilight had said it was a good sleep aid or something like that, but Spike always figured it was more or less to help Twi relax after a day of studying.

“Yup, I sure can. And I'm pretty good at it,” he boasted before crossing his arms over his chest and smirking. Rainbow's rather half lidded gaze was now accompanied by a smirk. She wrapped her hoof around the drake and pulled him into a playful embrace before rubbing his head with her free hoof.

“Gonna be a wise guy huh?” she asked giving the dragon a nuggie. He squirmed to break free but the weather mare's grip was too much.

“Uncle! Uncle!” he cried out between chuckles. The two began to laugh a little more. The atmosphere of the room now bright and full of playful laughter. The cellist watched and smiled at the antics of the two, only for the mood to be shifted once more.

“Please Rainbow Dash, must you rough up Spikey after he preformed so wonderfully?” Rarity asked as she approached the two. Rainbow looked to Rarity and than at Spike for a moment. Giving him a quick hug, she released him.

“You worry way too much. Not like he's gonna ditch you again,” Rainbow said. Clearly this semi-filterless Dash was not to well received by the fashion mare. Taking high offense to the statement, she took hold of the dragon within her azure magic and pulled him into her open hooves. She gently began to stroke the spot that Rainbow had been playfully assaulting.

“Spikey and I have worked through our differences and are back as we were. Isn't that right Spike?” she asked. Spike looked up at her, confused at first as to why she had decided to word it quite like that, and as to why she was stroking his head.

“Yeah, I guess,” he said rather apathetically. His tone was lost on the mare, who simply expressed her agreement in a rather haughty fashion.

“Now, I would like to borrow you for a few hours again. I need to put the finishing touches on Fancy Pants' suit and I need just the right color gems,” Rarity seemed to request of the tired dragon. Before he could say no though, somepony else spoke up for him.

“Actually, Miss Rarity. Spike was going to go take a nap,” Octavia said. She had left her perch on the couch and had walked over to the group. She stood next to Twilight, who had just been observing the situation. The lavender unicorn looked to Spike with a interested gaze. Spike did look tired, and he was taken from the library early. “Spike was rather rudely awoken today, and I think it would do him some good to get a bit of rest before he did anything else. He did insist on taking care of his morning chores as soon as he got back here,” Octavia explained. Rarity gave the mare a rather irritated gaze for a few moments before looking down at Spike. 

“Please, if he was as exhausted as you say, than he would not have preformed at all today,” Rarity said as if being an authority on the drake's working and sleeping habits.  Already the tension in the are was beginning to thicken as Octavia narrowed her gaze at Rarity.

“Alright, if you don't want to take my word for it, why don't you just ask him?” she suggested. To be perfectly honest, the idea hadn't even crossed Spike's mind. She was still running on the assumption that Spike would just do. Continue to behave much like he had when he was trying to gain her interest. 

“Octavia is right,” Spike finally said. Untangling himself from Rarity, he looked to the white unicorn and gave her a rather stern look. “I really didn't sleep all that well to begin with, and I was dragged out in the morning. I'm really tired,” he said rather firmly.

“Oh, well of course a nap would be in your best interests,” Rarity confirmed. “If that is what you need Spikey, than please do go an rest,” Rarity said with a firm nod.

“I need to be going as well. I should probably help Vinyl get her equipment and things back home. I'll drop off some sheet music for you while you are resting Spike,” Octavia said with a soft smile to the dragon. He returned it with earnest. Octavia said her goodbyes to the others before heading out the door. As Spike turned to head up the stairs, he  could clearly hear the conversation that followed Octavia's departure.

“There is something I do not like about that mare,” Rarity admitted aloud. Twilight narrowed her eyes towards the fashion mare while Rainbow just cocked an eyebrow rather confused.

“What's not to like? She seems pretty cool to me,” Rainbow mused, putting her two bits in.

“She has been nothing but a positive influence on Spike over the past few weeks. Helping him develop and grow as a musician is something I can't do. Not to mention giving him little confidence boosts to play more,” Twilight added.

“Well that's all well and good on the surface, but what do we know about her really? She plays the cello and she rooms with Vinyl Scratch. And, if the rumors are to be believed, the two use to be a couple not too long ago. And have you seen the way she gives me such stares? If I didn't know any better I think she felt threatened by me,” Rarity proclaimed. Her case was not invalid. The cellist having made it rather clear at the party that day that she had a rather noticeable disdain for the mare. Twilight could only shake her head lightly.

“Maybe you are just judging her before you even get to know her,” Twilight suggested. 

“Oh please darling. I have been around enough mares to know all the signs of a threatened mare. Clearly she has thoughts regarding our little Spike. Perhaps even manipulating the poor dear's feelings to better suit her own goals and carrier. It would help having a contact with Princess Celestia,” Rarity mused aloud. The more she talked, the more it caused Spike to grit his teeth. He wanted to lash out. He wanted to march right back down the stairs and tell Rarity not to talk about his friend like that. But something was holding him back. Doubt. As perfect as everything had been going, what if there was a catch? What if, these feelings that she had for him were just another lead on? 

“That's enough,” Twilight said firmly, grabbing the attention of all within hearing range. “Are you even listening to yourself? Spike is by far one of the best judges of character I have ever known. And if he trusts  Octavia, than she must be something special,” Twilight said. Her annoyance was rather apparent in her speech as she reprimanded Rarity. For some reason, that made Spike smile. It allowed hope to fill his heart again. That was the highest or praises that he could have received in a time of uncertainty. And with that, he realized what he could do. He got an idea, and it was going to be a good one. 

"Well be that as it may Twilight, I still do not trust her. And with Spike laying down for some time I will have to hurry back to the boutique  to start working on his and Fancy's suits," Rarity said as she turned to head out the door. Rainbow wasn't too far behind, bidding Twilight a good afternoon as she flew out the door. Now alone with her over the library. She was proud that Spike always made sure his tasks were complete and that he took pride in his work. Using her magic, she picked up a few odds and ends, namely a broom and duster that had been left out after the dragon's cleaning stint. Approaching her desk, Twilight noticed the sheet music and lyrics for Spike's first song Luv Sic. Though the spelling still irritated her, she looked it over and read the lyrics aloud to herself. The metaphors were not lost on her, but the more she read the lyrics the title began to make sense. 

"But that doesn't make sense," she said aloud. Flipping back to the first page with the title, she examined the spelling once more. Every time she read the second word, she felt herself instinctively putting a small accent on it. With a small internal click, she went to the shelves of the library, looking for one language in particular. A ways away from the library, Octavia was silently walking through Ponyville. Her course was set on home, her body more or less set on autopilot. Within her mind was another story. In particular, she was thinking about Rarity. She had a bit of nerve to just expect Spike to fall in line like that. The poor dear was tired and needed some measure of good sleep. Not to mention his own responsibilities that he had. Alas she had chosen the best course of action, letting Spike defend himself and have him stand up. That actually did her heart a bit of good seeing her Drake-friend put that mare in her place. At that thought, her body stopped and the term played in her head over and over again. Drake-friend. That's what she had just refereed to him as. Biting her lower lip out of nervousness, she contemplated that thought. 'Well he is a wingless dragon, making him a drake...and he is my friend. So the use of the term is accurate, but...' she trailed off as she released a sigh.  As she continued to walk rather  cluelessly, she failed to hear the sound of a cart pulling up along side her. Or the oh so subtle voice of her roommate calling her name. Vinyl looked at Octavia for a few moments to try and figure out how to snap her loose. Air horn? Nah, way too cliche. Cymbals? Nope, didn't have em. Mulling this over a little longer, she got an idea. Her horn glowed as it filled with magic. The spell was basic, just levitation, directed at Tavi's back legs. The aforementioned appendages continued their mindless steps as they connected with the ground less and less. Soon, the cellist's behind was held high off the ground and suddenly dropped. With a shrill of panic, Octavia returned to this world and glared in all directions to find the source of her torment. Seeing Vinyl did little to sway her annoyance.

"Having a good laugh?" She asked with a hint of venom in her speech. Vinyl could Only wipe the corners of her eyes as she righted her stance a little. 

"Actually yeah," she said between chuckles. With a glare and roll of her eyes, Octavia continued on the path home with Vinyl in tow. Once back at the house, Vinyl set her cart up in its proper place before heading up to her room. "Tavi, what do you wanna do for lunch?" She called from her room. Using her magic, she opened the door to her closet. A layer of dust, pluming from the stuck doors seeing how little shy actually used the storage area. After a few coughs, she began searching for something she had tucked away.

"We have pasta and oats if you want to stay in!" Octavia called from the kitchen. Coincidentally she had gone to the kitchen to get a small drink. She examined some of the other items in their fridge, spotting some apples, oranges, and other such vegetables and fruits. 

"Pull out them oats! I got a cravin'!"vinyl called out from the upper level once more. Octavia only smiled and rolled her eyes as she snagged the item in question. It was hard to believe that it was just a day away from the event. They would spend tomorrow traveling and the following day practicing before it started. The thought actually reminded her that she still had to get the sheet music to the resting drake. She looked to the oats in her fetlock and set them down before going upstairs to her own room. The interior was so much more well kept than Vinyl's. Everything was straight and orderly, pictures of her parents resting on her dresser, and her cello situated in the corner near the window resting upon it's stand. Going over to her desk, she opened one of the drawers and began pushing her muzzle through some of the folders or sheet music. Pulling forth a few choice Selections, she  carefully carried them in her teeth to her saddle bags. Sometimes she was more envious of Spike than infatuated. Having fingers to carefully comb through papers and carry without potentially drooling on the objects must be nice. As she placed the papers into her bag, she remembered their trip to Canterlot.  When he spent a few seconds running his claw along her cheek. Just recalling it seemed to send a soft tremble through her body. Touching her cheek with her hoof, she could only smile a little at the pleasing feeling. Letting those feelings slip by, she took care to get her saddle bags down to the living room. Setting them down, she wanted to get something to eat before she actually went to drop off the materials for spike. 

Venturing back to the kitchen, she saw Vinyl slaving over the stove with her headphones on. With a soft chuckle, Octavia went into the fridge and pulled out the apple juice. Sweet Apple Acres always made the best apple products this side of Equestria.

"Not too much longer. So we are heading out tomorrow morning or afternoon?" Vinyl asked. "Cause if we hit the morning it gives us a night in the castle or where ever we set up to relax for a while," she reasoned. 

"Well that sounds sense able. Ample time to freshen up before getting to our appointments," Octavia said pouring herself a glass of the refreshing liquid. "I'll be sure to inform Spike when I go to visit him later on," she said taking a sip. Vinyl nodded her head and continued to cook lunch. After a little while to eat and let the meal settle, Octavia excused herself to go visit Spike. Vinyl gave her usual hammy lines about making out and making kissy faces, but those comments were met with a scowl and tinge of a blush. on the mare in question's cheeks. She knew not a great deal of time had passed, but getting the music delivered sooner gave him more time to work with it rather than later. Leaving her home once more, the cellist walked across town to the library. It sure seemed she was getting her work out in fir the day considering she lived quite a ways away. By the time she made it to her destination, if was already well into the afternoon. 

Observing the open sign, she pushed t g e door open and began to walk inside. She could hear some voices within, probably a patron checking out something new. Making her way to where Twilight's desk was, the voices came in a bit clearer 

"Are you sure you don't need more sleep?" Twilight asked. From the sound of it, Spike most have gotten up a lot sooner than she had anticipated. 

“I told you when I woke up, a cat nap was all I needed," the drake said as he released a yawn. "Besides, I need to try something. Mind being my audience?" He asked. The sounds of his claws on the floor made it out that he was heading for the piano. 

'A work in progress maybe?' Octavia asked herself as she listened in.

"Is this something for a special somepony? Maaaaaaybe Octavia?" Twilight teased. That statement forced a blush to rip across the cellist's muzzle. Why Twilight would even joke about such a thing was beyond her. But with all the fleeting and swirling moments the two had shared, maybe-

"Yeah, it is," Spike said. Not only was Twilight caught off guard, but as was Octavia. Her heart began pounding away at her chest, trying to escape it's confines desperately. Her eyes remained fixated on door frame that lead to where the piano was kept. Breathing had ceased as she waited for what was to come, her heart stopping it's thunderous thumping as she heard the piano stool move along the ground.

"I call it...well, Luv Letter," he said meekly. Twilight situated herself on a cushion and waited for him to begin. With a low sigh, the drake began. The proceeding keg strokes made the world fall out from around them. For Octavia, all there was was a clear blue sky and the sound of his key strokes on the wind. Beneath her lay the cool grass of a world familiar to her. A tree sat idle, leaves blowing in the wind as the sun rained down golden radiance across the world. It's warmth surrounding her in a tight embrace. The level of comfort and just over all affection was amazing to say the least. But like all things, it felt like it was ending far too quickly. As the notes began to slow, she could feel a pair of loving arms wrap around her neck and hold her gently. Looking to the source of the new sensation, she saw the drake. He was smiling sincerely at her. His mouth opened as if to speak, a whisper swept away by the gale of reality. Touching her cheek with her hoof, Octavia could only feel the warm tears that were now collecting on her cheeks. 

"So, what do you think?" Spike asked looking over to Twilight. She two was letting tears flow from her eyes. A smile on her muzzle as she wiped at her tear streaks.

"She will love it," the unicorn said as she got up and approached her brother. Giving him a gentle hug that he returned, she looked him over. "Why don't you go make lunch while I watch the library," she suggested. With a simple nod and another soft squeeze, the dragon hopped off his stool and headed to the kitchen. Twilight watched him walk away and than at the piano. This was one of the best things to happen to the drake. Touching the polished wood, she could not smile anymore than she already was. "I hope Octavia likes this song as much as I do," she said heading towards the front room. Walking in through the walk way, her eyes locked on Octavia, who was still trying to control her tears. "I stand confirmed," Twilight said softly. 

"I...I...." Octavia tried. Before she could form a real sentence, she saw twilight bring a hoof to her lips. She nodded and tried her best to calm down. 

"Spike is making lunch. Is there something you needed?" She asked gently. Octavia nodded,  motioning to her saddle bags.

"I brought over the sheet music we had spoken about earlier," she said in a soft tone. 

"Thank you. I'll be sure to tell Spike you stopped by while he was sleeping," Twilight said in a similar hush as her magic encased the saddle bags and pulled forth the music.

"Twilight, why are you keeping my being here quiet?" She Octavia asked gently. Twilight smiled before looking back to the kitchen.

"Because, that song was made for you and is suppose to be a surprise. Also,"    she said with a sincere smile. "You have done a lot to help him through everything. And if anything, I trust you," Twilight said. Octavia was about to speak when the air seemed to chill for a moment. "But if you break his heart, they won't find you in the Everfree forest," she said coldly. On that note, Octavia thanked her silently and through a few stammers told her that they would be catching a morning train to get to Canterlot. After that, the cellist left the house, now both scared and happy at the same time.

Time seemed to go by quickly for the rest of the day. Rarity swung by the library to give the drake his suit and chitchat with Twilight. Octavia and Vinyl packed up their belongings and made ready for the coming trip. And then there was Spike, diligently working his piano to make sure he had his pieces down. All on all, it was a good day that soon slipped into the lull of night. Preparations were finished, and all that was left was the travel.  But no real pressure right? Spike contemplated this as he lay in his bed that night. His body was telling him to sleep, but the young dragon could not quell his mind. Thoughts of his crush and their soon to be performance. Not only that, but finishing his letter to her. 

"That all can wait a little longer. I just want to get through the next two days," he said softly before rolling over and trying to find his sweet spot on his bed. 

Why does it always feel like you can never get enough sleep when you have to wake up? That thought shot through the dragon's mind as he heard his alarm clock go off. It was before the dawn, apparent from the deep blue sky that still lingered in the sky. With a loud grunt, the dragon forced himself from his comfy place and walked across the room. He could still hear Twilight sawing a few logs of sleep from her bed. "Lucky," he grumbled under his breath. His bags were packed and neatly placed by the door as he had left then last night. With one last look back to Twilight, he walked over to her and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. "See you in a few days," he said gently before leaving.

There was something to be said about the crisp morning air. It held a soft chill to it, as if the world had grown cold without the sun's embrace. But at the same time, it felt so clean, so pure. It was refreshing and invigorating. Feeling a bit more of a spring in his step, Spike could only smile and hum softly to himself as he went to the train station. It was far from a stressful trip. Unlike the first time he was not tense or stolen. Sitting down after getting his ticket, he pulled out a pencil and parchment. He needed to make sure they were set in the castle once more. With a quick ask of permission, he sent the letter off and awaited his response.

“You're early. Good to see I wasn't the only one who couldn't really rest all that much,” the gentle voice of Octavia called out. Turning his attention, Spike saw the cellist bringing forth her belongings in a cart that could very easily be stowed away. She gave the drake a pleasant smile as she unhooked her self from it and sat down next to him.

“Yeah, I knew I needed to get here a little early just to make sure I caught the right train. Twilight told me you stopped by yesterday. I got the sheet music by the way,” he said with a smile patting his bag that held most of his belongings.

“Splendid. Than all we have now is just the wait and to get some manner of practice in,” she commented. This earned her a soft smile from the dragon as they slipped into a comfortable quiet. They didn't really avoid each other's gaze, more focusing simply on the stillness of the world around them. But through that silence was birthed a soft humming. As gentle as the wind on the leaves, Spike began humming the tune to their second collaboration. Hearing his humming get a little louder, Octavia soon started to harmonize with him. Humming her part just as silently as he was.  The longer this went on, the louder they grew, until it became vocalization. Their singing voices almost in sync as the sang the same notes but in different pitches. Eyes closed and lost to the world around them, they made their sweet melody grow more and more. And with each moment, they found themselves growing closer and closer. On one last movement, a claw came into contact with a hoof. Their eyes opened, looking into the other's. The picture so clear to them, the reflection of themselves in the other's gaze. She was staring at him, and he at her. The feeling of a claw gently stroking the hoof made it's self apparent to the cellist, but she didn't mind it. Just as the pianist didn't mind the fetlock now holding onto his claw. They had been here before; this feeling of their worlds wordlessly in sync with one another. The flow of time slowing to a crawl, the familiar rush from beating hearts quickening their pace. But this time, under the brilliant rays of Celestia's golden sun, there was nothing to stop them. Nothing to detract from what may or may not transpire. Though that brought about a question; who would move first? Mustering some form of courage, the dragon spoke.

“Octavia?” he asked on a whisper. A soft glint to her eye showed that she had heard him. Silently urging him to continue. “I...I know we haven't known each other for very long, but I just...” he said trying to find the words. Her breath hitched in her throat, her heart pulsing loud enough that she could hear it. “I...I...” he stammered gently. His words were failing him. He was floundering. But what could he say, what words could possibly express the sensations that were running through his head. With every scrap of courage he could muster, he pressed his lips to her's.  His eyes closed as he surrendered this one time to what he desired. What he wanted more than anything. The stunned expression on the mare's face was only there for a moment before vanishing and melting into a pool of total relaxation. She pressed back. Her suspicions right about the feeling of his lips. They were soft, warm, inviting. With a hesitant hoof, she wrapped it around his neck and drew him in.  The kiss seemed to last far shorter than they wanted it to, but all the same it was just right. The touch ended, their lips separating as they took in soft breaths. Their foreheads pressed gently together as they took in life sustaining air. 

“Spike...” Octavia said gently. She could feel him shift, his eyes looking up to her with a half lidded expression. “There is something I want to tell you,” she said softly. His eyes glinted gently in the morning light causing her to smile. “But I don't know how to say it just yet. When all of this is done and over with, I want to talk to you about this. Will you wait for me, just for a little while longer?” she asked gently. With the softest of smiles, the dragon within her grasp could only muster a light chuckle.

“As long as it's not 'I'm not into dragons', I think I can wait,” he said gently