Octavius sat on the living room couch, reading over the most recent piece the symphony was going to be practicing. He had a pencil in hand, making small notes on the sheet as he read. The sound of feet descending the stairs caught his attention, causing him to look up and see Flutters coming down the stairs. He smiled at her, placing the sheet on the short wooden table beside the couch.
“Hello,” he greeted her, rising from his seat.
“Oh, hello, Octavius,” she replied, seeming to be surprised to see him. “You’re up early.”
“Not really,” he told her, looking down at his music. “I usually get up early to work on my music. I’m part of the local symphony.”
“Really?” Flutters smiled wide. “I love music! Oh, b-but not loud music.” She looked down at her bare feet, poking her index fingers together shyly. “I always liked classical music.”
Octavius thought for a moment, then grinned. “Wait right here.” He disappeared upstairs, and a couple minutes later returned carrying his cello case. He stepped into the dining room and grabbed a chair, then came back to the living room, setting the chair down with the cello right in front of it. He sat down on the dark wooden chair, opening his case and producing his cello. It was a light brown color, with a similarly colored bow. He started to get in tune as Flutters came into the living room and sat on the couch in front of him, watching intently.
Finally ready, Octavius looked to the pink haired woman. “Do you have any particular favorites?”
Flutters thought for a moment, then shook her head. “Whatever you wanna play is alright.”
Octavius nodded, then placed the bow on the strings, contemplating what to play, before a smile crossed his face and he started to play.
Flutters was caught off guard by Octavius’ selection of music. She’d never heard the piece before, but decided to let him play. As she listened, she also noticed a small smile on the cellist’s otherwise stoic face. He played, and played, seeming to pour his whole heart into the piece, lost in his own world, a world Flutters didn’t feel she was a part of. The piece sped up, the piece slowed down, yet Octavius never seemed lost. No matter where the piece went, Octavius seemed to be in complete control. Flutters smiled softly as she watched.
Finally, after an eternity but all too soon, the piece came to an end, Octavius rejoining the real world, looking at Flutters. She stood and clapped lightly so as not to wake Vinyl, who was still sleeping upstairs. She sat back down as Octavius carefully laid his cello back in its case, alongside the bow. He clasped the case shut and moved it to the side, then turned his attention to Flutters.
“What did you think?” He stared expectantly at the woman.
Flutters was at a loss for words for a moment, but at last she said, “I loved that! What’s it called?”
Octavius’ face turned a light shade of red. “It’s an original piece by me. It’s called ‘For Violet’. I wrote it last year for our anniversary. I played it for her, and she said she adored it.”
“I also said I wanted to remix it,” called a voice from the stairs, causing the pair in the living room to jump slightly and turn that way. They saw Vinyl standing on the bottom step, smiling at them. She walked up to Octavius, standing behind his chair that he still sat in and wrapped her arms around his chest as she leaned down. “But some jerkface won’t give me to frickin’ sheet music for it!”
“I told you, love,” he said with a smirk. “This is my piece for you, and I won’t let you get your dirty little wubby dubby hands on it.”
“Aw, c’mon, baby,” she whispered in his ear, her voice low. “Pretty please?”
Octavius swiftly stood and stepped away from her. “I don’t think so.”
Vinyl huffed, puffing her cheeks full of air in frustration. “Party pooper.”
Flutters giggled as she watched the exchange, looking from one to the other as they squabbled back and forth. Then she sighed sadly, looking down at her hands folded on her lap. Octavius turned his attention to the pink haired woman. “What’s wrong, Flutters?”
She looked up quickly, putting on her practiced smile. “Oh, uh, eh-heh, n-nothing,” she stammered out, glancing sideways as if she were looking for something. “I-it’s nothing at all.”
“No, what is it?” Vinyl carefully sat down beside Flutters, placing a hand on her growing baby bump. “We’re here for you, like I told ya. I don’t care if we just met, I feel like we met for a reason. So I think the reason was to help you out. And that’s just what I’m gonna do.” She grinned mischievously at the pink haired woman. “Whether mister stick in the mud over there likes it or not.” She jerked a thumb at Octavius.
Flutters giggled slightly at the comment, while Octavius pretended to glare at the DJ. Flutters sighed once more, looking at her hands lying on her green pants. Then she looked up and met Vinyl’s questioning gaze with a sad smile. “I promise I’ll open up,” she said quietly. “You just have to give me some time. Ok?”
Vinyl nodded with a wide grin. “Whatever you need, Flutters. When you’re ready to talk about what’s eatin’ ya, come find me. I’ll be there with a friendly ear and a box of tissues.”
Flutters giggled again, nodding in agreement. “It’s a deal.”
Octavius had gone upstairs to put his cello back in his room, so the two women were left alone in the living room for the time being. Flutters looked down at Vinyl’s belly, then back up to Vinyl. “Are you, uh,” she started, though she sounded unsure of how to politely ask her question.
Vinyl, however, seemed to pick up on it. “Yep! Tavi and I are gonna be mommy and daddy in a few months!” She grinned excitedly. “I told him on Christmas.” She started to laugh. “Boy, you shoulda seen that dork flip out! It was adorable!” She calmed down, wiping her eyes behind her shades. They had to turn up the lights in the house for Flutters, since she was afraid of the dark. Vinyl hadn’t minded, deciding she’d do everything she could to make their guest feel welcome as long as she stayed with them.
“So is it a boy or a girl?” Flutters looked as if she had forgotten her earlier sadness; either that, or she had deliberately chosen to change the subject.
“Well, according to the ultrasound last week, we’re going to be having a baby girl,” Vinyl said. “When we told my parents that they were having a granddaughter, they lost their minds. Mom kept making some weird happy squeaking noise, and dad said that he hoped she’d be a better kid than I was.”
Flutters smiled sweetly. “Well, congratulations, you two,” she said. “I’m sure you must be quite excited.”
“Oh, definitely,” Vinyl replied, grinning from ear to ear. “I can’t wait! I mean, sure, the actual delivery process will suck, but I can’t wait to be handed my baby girl for the first time.”
“Neither can I,” Octavius cut in from the stairs, much like Vinyl had. While he was upstairs, he had apparently changed from his pajamas into a grey tee shirt and blue jeans, walking in and sitting by Vinyl, whom he noted was still in her long blue shirt with the music note on it with her knee length shorts. “I may be uncertain as to my own ability as a father, given my rather questionable upbringing, but I shall strive to do the very best I can.”
Vinyl leaned in to Flutters and whispered, “That’s fancy talk for, ‘being a dad will kick ass.’” The pink haired woman giggled.