//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Hearth's Warming Eve // Story: Like a Broken Record // by HeartBeat //------------------------------//  Chapter 7: Hearth's Warming Eve We were snowed in at Canterlot for two days before the train was equipped with a proper plow to drive through the snow. Sure it was a slow ride, but we eventually got back home and I was so happy to be back in Ponyville again. The snow hadn't hit as hard here as up in the mountains. Octavia is much better now. I had hoped that she wasn't going to  be dramatized by the incident. Vinyl stayed with her the entire time, and I hope Vinyl knows that I care so much for her. But here I am now, about to spend Hearths Warming Eve alone. My family still lives in Manehatten and I didn't plan on making a trip there anytime soon. Not that I don't miss them, they just aren't the festive type of people. I was about to head upstairs to take a nap, when I heard a sudden knocking on my door. I trotted back towards the door and opened it. Vinyl stood before me and had a huge smile on her face.  "Hey!" She nearly yelled. "Hello, Vinyl." I said. "Hey, where is everypony? Don't you have a family?" She said, making my teeth cringe. "Yeah, I do. They just aren't the festive type of ponies." I told her. "So you're spending Hearth's Warming Eve alone?" She asked, looking mortified. "Yeah, I have been ever since I moved here. But it's not that big a deal, I'm kinda used to it." I said, trying to keep her from feeling bad for me. "That sucks..." She said, looking down at the ground. "I know!" She said, like a lightbulb went off in her head. "You can spend the day with Octavia and I!" "I don't know..." I said, looking away. "C'mon!" She started to basically drag me towards her house in the snow.  I finally got my hooves on the ground to allow me to trot beside her. Her house had been fully decorated with festive lights and red bows. We entered the house and I took my scarf off and hung it on the rack. "Yo, Tavi?" I heard Vinyl say in the other room. "Yes?" Octavia replied. "I hope its okay that Snow stays here for the day. He was going to spend Hearth's warming alone." She said, nearly whispering the last sentence.  "Oh, of course! Nopony should spend today alone." Octavia insisted. "Thanks." I saw her hug her roommate I spent the while day with them. Vinyl had me bake with her to help make dinner and dessert. While she and Octavia made the dinner, I was on "cake baking duty," as Vinyl liked to call it. I wasn't the best baker, but I managed to prepare the mixture. I was gently stirring the liquid, like the box said, when Vinyl decided to give it a try. She grabbed the mixer and flipped her glasses over her eyes and gave an evil grin. "Max power, baby!" She said, turning the speed all the way up. "Oh dear..." I hardly heard Octavia say over the loud whirling of the mixer. Vinyl hardly got the mixer in the bowl before the mix went flying into the air. Basically covering the kitchen in cake batter, Vinyl took off her glasses that protected her eyes. Perfect circles were clean over her eyes where her glasses shielded some of it. She looked at the batter that was spread around and looked back at Octavia and I. She seemed as if she was going to cry, than laughter took over. Octavia looked at the batter that covered her and let outa small giggle. I guess it was kinda funny, so I decided to join in.  Together we shared a good laugh as we looked at the mess. I felt strange after the laughter passed, because it seemed as if we were a family. I hadn't experienced this feeling in a while. My family hadn't really celebrated holidays, even when I was young. I was happy to be out of the house and experience the full celebration of Hearth's Warming Eve.  The mess was soon cleaned up and I had to mix a whole bowl of cake batter again. This time Vinyl just watched as I slowly mixed the batter in the bowl. After pouring the liquid in the pan, I slid it in the oven. I looked around and saw Octavia bring a rather large box from upstairs. Vinyl instantly recognized the box and trotted over to the tree in the living room. I followed them and watched as Octavia opened the box.  She and Vinyl began to pick things out of the box and hang them on the tree. I remembered this from long ago. So I decided to help, and I reached into the box and lifted out a red ornament. Gently hanging it on one of the branches, I looked over to see Vinyl trying her best to reach the top to put the star on. Not knowing why she didn't just use her magic, I lifted her up and balanced her above me. She laughed and placed it on top. After placing hear back down on the ground she pulled me into a hug. "Thanks!" She said. I patted her on the back and gave her a smile. We got all the decorations on the tree and Vinyl plugged up the lights. We watched as the tree glowed and lit up the living room. The timer in the kitchen went off and I got the cake out of the oven. Together, we decorated the cake in red, white, and, green icing. Octavia was the expert her, so we let her do most of the work. After that the sun had set behind the mountains in the distance. Octavia set the table and Vinyl and I brought the food into the dining room. We all sat at the round table and ate together. Finishing my plate, I looked up at the two who were laughing at a conversation they were having.  "I'd like to say thank you, to the both of you." I said. "Dear, it's no trouble at all." Octavia said. "Yeah, nopony should spend this holiday alone." Vinyl added. A smile grew on my face and we all stood up to clean or plates. Octavia took the plates and began to was them. Vinyl and I sat on the couch and watched as the fireplace burned the wood inside. Octavia sat on her chair and sipped a glass of wine. Vinyl rested her head on my shoulder and Octavia gave a loud yawn. "Sorry, but I'm awfully tired. Goodnight and happy Hearth's Warming Eve." Octavia said, trotting upstairs to her room. "Happy Hearth's Warming Eve." Vinyl and I said together. "Aww bummer..." She said. "What?" I asked. "I didn't get you anything for Hearth's Warming Eve... Sorry." She apologized. "Don't be, because I haven't gotten you anything either. Since I hardly ever celebrated it, gifts didn't really come to mind." I told her. "Wait, I got an idea!" She said, trotting over to the box of ornaments that was basically empty.  She rustled around inside and found what she was looking for.  "One sec." She said' disappearing around the corner. "Happy Hearth's Warming Eve!" She said, with a red bow tied around her waist. "What's this?" I asked, knowing how cliche this actually was. "I'm giving me to you as a gift." She said, approaching me. "Oh really?" I said, knowing what she was trying to do. "Mm-hm." She said laying on top of me on the couch. "Well, in that case..." I said, leaning up and kissing her. She opened her mouth and so did I, letting our tongues venture around. They would occasionally tangle around and I would feel Vinyl shiver. Her face was a bright red, and by the feeling of my face, I was must have been blushing too. Vinyl reached down in between us and I let out a  moan, telling her that what she was doing felt great. "Wait, aren't you afraid I'll get you pregnant?" I asked, stopping her. "No, it's okay. I'm safe." She whispered, continuing where she left off. After finished exchanging 'presents,' we collapsed on the couch. Breathing heavily, we wrapped our hooves around each other.  "I love you, Vinyl." I whispered. "I love you too, Snow." She whispered back, kissing me on the lips and closing her eyes. Together, we fell asleep in a warm embrace. I'm so happy that I found a relationship that worked out for once. I may not have realized it at first, but now I see it clear as day. Vinyl is the one, the mare that I would love to spend the rest of my life with.  Vinyl and I woke up in the morning to the sound of birds chirping. We looked at the mess that we made form our 'gift giving' last night. Vinyl gave me a coy smile and a giggle. I kissed her on the cheek and heard a sudden crash of glass. We turned to see Octavia had dropped her glass of orange juice and was in shock at what she saw. Her face flushed red. "My couch!" Octavia nearly screamed, glaring at the stained couch. All Vinyl and I could do was smile sheepishly and say were sorry.