Subwoofer by palakai
Coming home after a long day of rehearsals, the last thing I wanted to see was various electronic components scattered across the communal living area; unfortunately, that was exactly what I found. It wouldn't have bothered me so much except for the fact that her stuff was on my half of the room. I kicked at something in frustration, earning myself a nasty pain in my hoof. While I sucked on the throbbing flesh, I took a quick look around.
Living with someone who was your polar opposite, rules had to be set, and usually she was pretty good at observing them. But, of course, there were times when she got so caught up in whatever little project she was working on that she would become oblivious to everything around her.
Vinyl was tinkering.
That fact should've set alarm bells ringing in my mind, but perhaps I was simply too tired to listen to the warnings that my subconscious was trying to give me. Inquisitiveness seemed to be a common trait amongst unicorns, and she was always to be found fooling around with something when she didn't have a gig to attend.
Her wiggling rump with its two bridged eighth notes was all that I could see as the rest of her body was buried deep within the complicated innards of the largest loudspeaker I had ever seen in my life. Doubtless, it was bought second-hand, hence her modifications; a brand new one would've been a dent in even Vinyl's finances, so it was safe to assume she'd found it in one of the many thrift stores dotting Canterlot.
Hm. Had to admit, she did have a pretty cute butt. With a shake of my head, I immediately dismissed this unladylike thought I was having about my friend. It was impossible not to have the occasional romantic notion about somepony you spent to much time with, but our friendship was fine the way it was, and I was not prepared to risk it on the off-chance that it could be something more.
Vinyl's own tastes in romantic partners was as inscrutable as her well-hidden eyes, and I could never quite get a grip on what her thinking was. Sometimes, it felt like she was from a different planet, dropped into Equestria for some esoteric purpose. Perhaps it was her five-year-mission to spread dance music across the universe? That silly idea made me smile.
Clearly, tonight was going to be another night where I'd have to wear earplugs if I planned on getting any sleep. Vinyl was prone to late nights, and even more prone to excessive volume whenever she thought she could get away with it.
I was just about to say good night to her when her ears perked up in excitement. Her ears were almost as acute as mine, and sneaking past her was often an exercise in futility. It also meant that neither one of us could sneak downstairs for a midnight snack.
I guess she'd just finished whatever arcane ministrations she was performing. With a frantic wave of her forelegs, she ushered me to a seat, a broad grin playing across her muzzle.
“Now?” I asked tiredly, miming a yawn to indicate just how weary I was from today's rehearsals. I wanted nothing more than to light some candles and soak in some lavender-scented water before taking to my silken sheets.
A pleading look, followed by what I could only assume was a wide-eyed pout; her eyes, as ever, were hidden beneath her sunglasses. Even though the light wasn't terribly bright in our shared living area, she still refused to remove them due to her sensitivity. She did have the most beautiful eyes and it was to the detriment of all who knew her that they would never catch more than a glimpse of those cerise irises.
“Okay,” I said, throwing my forelegs up in surrender, giving in … just as I always did. It amazed me how quickly the parameters of our relationship could change. One minute, we were best friends. The next, quarrelling roommates. The next, I was both a mother figure and mentor to her as she sought my approval for her bold musical experimentations. Despite the gap in our ages being nought but a few years, I got the feeling that she regarded me as somepony older and more experienced. Maybe I chose to flatter myself by believing that?
As I observed her preparations, it dawned on me that I never knew what I was feeling for her from one moment to the next; she frustrated me, drove me mad with her childishness, but she was also sweet, brilliant and lovely. I sat, awaiting the wubs of which she was so fond. I could barely call it music, but I was willing to keep an open mind for her sake. Even if I didn't approve, I could appreciate the artistry.
Her grin back in place – rather unsettling, actually: a true lunatic's glint – Vinyl went to her mixer and started spinning some records. As expected, it was more dubstep. Whatever melody it might've had was hidden underneath a pounding bassline.
A pounding bassline that was …
… No, I was imagining it.
Wasn't I?
My insides felt swimmy and a hoof went to my brow as a wave of lightheadedness struck me; my abdomen and pelvis tensed and relaxed of their own accord, and an electric shudder ran through my spine. The resonant pulse continued to wash over me and I pressed my hindlegs together as the effect seemed to be most strongly focused there.
“Vinyl, what the heck …?”
I didn't get to finish my query as a low moan escaped my lips. Some invisible force had gripped me in its icy clench and wouldn't let go; I felt as though an explosion was taking place in the lower half of my body, and I wanted to scream, cry and laugh all at once as my insides felt like they were simultaneously being hollowed out and tickled.
When I came to what seemed like hours later, my roommate was hovering over me, a satisfied smirk creasing her muzzle. Undoubtedly, she considered this experiment a success.