The Game Has Changed
(Daft Punk, from the Tron Legacy soundtrack)
"Octavia. You're quiet," Vinyl said, and so she was; the earth pony had hardly spoken since their practice session ended.
"I'm just...ah. I'm trying to figure out what I'm feeling, Vinyl," she replied, a hoof to her forehead.
"Good luck," Vinyl snorted brusquely. "But your tea's getting cold."
They were sat in Vinyl's kitchen, which Octavia privately thought looked as though an Ursa Major had crashed into it; she had honestly been surprised when Vinyl had been able to pull out two unbroken (although quite dusty) teacups. They sat opposite each other at the table, tête-à-tête, and whenever Octavia glanced upwards her eyes seemed to settle on Vinyl's lips all of their own accord.
"...Okay, let's take it from the top. I need to know a few things, Vinyl."
The unicorn gave a brief shrug- go on, then- and continued to sip her tea.
"First," Octavia said, and stopped, disliking the helpless tone her voice had taken. She marshalled it back into fighting form; added a note of aggression, of impatience. "Why did you kiss me in the music room? For training, or was there something...well, more?"
A moment's hesitation. "...Pretend I gave you the answer you want most," Vinyl said quietly, and stirred another sugar cube into her tea. "What then?"
Octavia felt like screaming. Now was not the time for mind games. But then she noticed Vinyl staring at her discreetly, with those baleful red eyes, as if daring her to call the bluff; it put her in mind of the way she'd moved in the music room. Half fearful, half yearning.
She took a deep breath, gathered her calm. Made her voice firm and masterful. "The answer I want most, Vinyl, is the one that's true. So tell me what it is."
The unicorn took a deep sip of her tea. Almost as though preparing herself, Octavia thought. "...You're a good musician," Vinyl said finally, like the air escaping from a balloon.
For training, then, the earth pony thought; but the answer didn't help any. Her emotions were still jumbled; it was at once a relief and a disappointment. She didn't want to think about what that meant.
"But...I like you. Octavia."
Suddenly, she had to.
"You like me? A-As in, Romareo and Muleiet like?" Octavia asked, her eyes wide.
Vinyl said nothing, but stirred one more sugar cube into her tea.
"I, ah. That is to say. Well. Um. I didn't expect this," she hedged, flustered. "I don't know what to say, Vinyl."
Vinyl didn't say anything, continued to stir her drink. It was almost like a nervous habit. Exactly like a nervous habit. Octavia frowned.
"...I was wrong. I did it all wrong. I ruined it," Vinyl said heavily after a while, an odd half-smile floating across her mouth. She closed her eyes, and said dreamily, as if to herself: "Wrong tempo."
"...Vinyl?"
The unicorn stood up; the haze of magic around her spoon ceased. "Sorry. For kissing you. I shouldn't have," she said, and her eyes never met Octavia's.
"Now, Vinyl-"
"..At least the training went well. I want to keep coming to your concerts, at least."
Crash. Octavia brought her hoof down abruptly on the table. "Oh, do shut up, Vinyl. If this is how you behave when you think you've made a mistake, I'm almost glad you're arrogant enough to think you don't make them."
Vinyl met her eyes then, and found them flashing with what approached full-fledged anger.
"Now, if you weren't quite so busy wallowing in unwarranted self-pity, you would have realised that at no point did I say I wasn't interested- merely that I didn't know if I like you in the same way you claim to like me. But mark my words, Vinyl Scratch, I intend to find out," Octavia barked with military speed.
"...You're angry at me," Vinyl replied, as if in wonder.
"Yes, I am, because for somepony who likes me enough to kiss me when I'm unawares, you're awfully quick to give up on winning my affections," Octavia glared. "And besides, a good musician learns from her mistakes, as opposed to mourning them."
"...I was scared that you didn't like me," Vinyl said slowly, looking at the floor.
"Oh, boo-hoo. I'm scared of dragons, but I don't just lay down and die when I see one. Good grief...Whatever am I to do with you?" Octavia replied more gently, shaking her head.
"...I wonder," Vinyl replied, because silence was oppressive when the distance between them was so small. "So. Are we..?"
"Yes. Provisionally, you understand," she replied. "I must admit...I'm not used to this sort of situation."
"Dating a mare?" Vinyl asked, eyebrow arched.
"Indeed," Octavia nodded, although more truthfully it was dating in general. Contrary to popular opinion, the music hall was not exactly a hotbed of romance.
"...Get used to it, I guess," Vinyl shrugged, and took a sip of her forgotten tea.
Now she acts cool, Octavia thought, and rolled her eyes. She was interrupted by Vinyl spraying tea all over the table.
"...How much sugar did I put in that, anyway?" Scratch grumbled. Octavia giggled. She wasn't so cool, after all.
Outside, a grey stallion whistled, standing beside Octavia's cello. He was pretty sure this was the right address, but he'd knocked on the door and heard nothing.
He didn't know it, but he was in for a long wait.