A white hoof streaked through locks of dull black hair that layered loosely against the chest of the owner of the hoof’s wife. Magenta eyes looked down with a sweet fondness as they carried over the sleeping body of a gray earth pony. The gray pony stirred slightly and shifted her weight around a little on top of the white mare, only to find a comfortable position, a smile streaking across her face. She lay on top of a white unicorn with an electric mane that shone with two shades of blue. She suppressed an excited giggle, so as not to disturb her sleeping lover.
So tender and soft was the stare she gave with bright magenta eyes, she would refuse to be caught in the public light giving such 'sappy' looks. But she wasn't in the public light. She was with a pony that she didn't mind giving sappy looks to. Something felt good deep inside of her to know that she could trust a pony so much that she could act so very sappy around without any fear of judgment. Like someone you're extra comfortable with. And to know that that special somepony was extra comfortable in the same respect with you felt even better.
This feeling, this feeling of love, it could inspire a thousand songs. And it has. Not thousands, but it sure felt like it to her. The pride she took in her special companion made her want to sing as loud as she could and skip through fields of daisies, not taking stock in anypony’s opinion. And frankly, no pony’s opinion mattered but Octavia's. All she wanted was to see a smile on that beautiful gray ponies face.
It was strange, she reflected with her eyes loosely fixed on the pony on top of her, how she had grown to love Octavia. It was odd to say, but she loved how the earth pony cuddled up to her for warmth, how she played her music with various wooden instruments, all her attributes, her skills, and her flaws. Oh celestia, are we not all flawed? But it struck Vinyl as strange, how she fell in love with Octavia's flaws of all things.
Octavia had always been a very insecure pony, keeping mostly to herself. Yet she acted in a different way around the white unicorn. She acted carelessly, ignoring her clumsiness and occasional regrettable words. While at the same time, always going out of her way to not offend her unicorn lover.
All of this warmed Vinyl's heart brightly. Now the gray mare slept soundly and peaceful, drawing warmth that her lover was glad to lend. The hoof that had been going through the strains of silky black hair rested on the side of Octavia. Vinyl could feel the heartbeat, and from it, a warmth.
Vinyl's eyes drifted away, along with her thoughts.
She remembered when the two of them had first met. Sometime in fall of last year. Vinyl was doing shows at Sugarcube corner. The job paid well, but it wasn't going to get her any fame. At one party, she spotted a lonely looking gray mare sitting at the bar with another pony. the other pony later turned out to be her sister who had dragged Octavia out to the party because she thought the musical earth pony was 'too dull and needed to lighten up a little'. Octavia obviously looked out of place. The refined and sophisticated air of her along with the neat purple bow tie, which complemented her purple eyes well, just made her stand out of the crowd of alcoholics and party goers. After all, she wasn't even attempting to conform with the crowd.
Sometime when the music was all set and the DJ table didn't need any attending, she made her way over to the bar. A conversation, or rather an argument, about music started and from there on out the two had grown close. Real close.
She recollected herself back into reality. The unicorn examined her bedroom. the early morning light illuminated the few pieces of wood furniture and also showed how the floors lacked a carpet. She made a mental note to call a handyman to install the new carpet later that week.
For now, she decided she would go back to bed. Her white head dipped and she planted a gentle kiss on Octavia's forehead. Sweet dreams. Laying her head down onto the pillow with a smile that reflected her satisfaction with life as it was, and satisfaction with the pony she deeply loved, Vinyl dared not move so as not to wake her sleeping lover. Vinyl felt the warm air dance and tickle across her chest with every exhale Octavia breathed out.
Why not sleep for another hour? There was nothing to do today. Besides, getting up now wouldn't be fair to Octavia. With that thought swirling down the drain of Vinyl's head, she closed her eyes and let sleep consume her body. There was a good day ahead of her. That was a fact!
****
Something felt different. A little 'off'. Like that feeling when you know there is something wrong with a decoration but you can't quite tell what. Was it the bed? No. Everything was fine. But it wasn't fine. Not at all. Then she realized it. Vinyl's eyes shot open wide at the bitter realization. It was the bed after all; it felt cold.
Her chest felt free of the burden she had so lovingly had on top of her. Magenta eyes looked down to confirm what she already knew. Octavia was no where in the bed.
The white unicorn sat up and looked around with a look of confusion plastered on her face. the room was brightly illuminated, indicating that mid-day must have arrived. Vinyl knew exactly what was going on and tears began to build in the corners of her eyes. Her heart fell from her chest into her belly. With a thud, she layed back down on the pillow.
A chill draft consumed the room and in a minute Vinyl found herself cuddling tightly with a pillow, shivering and shaking in the stinging cold, and with eyes tightly shut in an overly-desperate attempt to get more rest. Still the cold air punctured through her blankets and stepped through her coat to attack her skin.
With the hope of falling back to sleep overwhelmed, the white mare rose and sat up in her bed. She took the blanket and wrapped it all around her to keep warm and slid off the side of the bed and into two pairs of slippers. One for her back hooves, and one for her front. The unicorn made her way over to the door of her bedroom and stopped. Her head turned quickly to the side and stared a picture in a frame erect on a chest of drawers.
Her heart felt like it was going to burst and she found it hard to breath. The world is a cruel place. Her eyes concentrated on that picture on the wooden picture frame as if nothing in the room existed. The picture was of herself hugging a stunningly beautiful gray mare from behind, the two of them laughing and having a good time. She wasn't sure if it was her nerves or the cold, but her hooves were shaking and felt weak. She sat down on the floor right there, still wrapped in the red blanket, and stared up at the picture.
Tears were now streaking down her cheeks, dampening the fur under her eyes. She quickly looked around the room. Nothing. It was purely empty aside from the furniture. The sun was not shining brightly because storm clouds had encompassed it. It would rain soon, that was certain.
"Hush now... Quiet now." She shut her eyes as if the words she softly sung were lynching to her heart.
"I-It's time to lay your sleepy head..." She inhaled deeply fighting back the natural urge to break into tears and cries.
"Hush... now, q-quiet now." The word 'now' trailed off into a helpless whimper. She recollected herself and deeply inhaled.
"It's time... It's time..."
She knew the words. She knew the words very well. Every part of her rapidly beating heart wished she didn't know the words; wished she wouldn't ever have tossing the final part of the lullaby.
"It's time to go... to bed." With shaking hooves, she looked up at the picture. Octavia was smiling.
That picture would forever capture a little moment in time. A little moment of happiness that is now gone forever. Vinyl brought her shivering hooves to her face and tried to muffle a desperate cry. Her love has gone to bed. Never to wake up. Stolen away from her hooves by the world, the pony she had protected and swore she would never harm.
Vinyl dropped the blanket from her shoulders. The cold air was enough to freeze water, yet she didn't care. It didn't matter anymore.
"I love you, Tavia." She whispered so softly it would be inaudible from two meters away. "I always will."
Weak and abandoned, she stood up. The cold air numbing her whole body. With shaking hooves, she approached the chest of drawers the picture was on. Two hooves extended out and grabbed the picture. She brought it to her chest and hugged the picture in its frame as if it was the real pony she loved in her arms again, like things used to be. The good memories she shared with a pony she loved and would give everything she owned in the world for. Tear drops fell from her cheek and onto the barren floor.
A knocking sound.
Vinyl raised her head and looked around. There it was again, a knocking sound. She immediately put the picture carefully down on the chest of drawers and opened her bedroom door. Just across from it was the front door to her house; the point at which the sound was coming from. She shipped the tears away with a hoof and made her way to the entrance to the house.
"Uhm, w-who is it?" She called timidly through the door.
"It's pinkie, silly filly! Are you coming over to the party in ten minutes? I promise it will be tons of fun!" Came a joyful muffled reply.
"Uh, sure. I'll be right there."
"Hurry up, don't want to miss it!" Pinkie teased from the other side of the door.
Vinyl glanced back into her empty room, and then at the picture of her and Octavia.
"I won’t ever forget you. I love you." she whispered. "Be right there!" yelling out loud so Pinkie could hear her.
She made her way over to the front door and engulfed the handle in a blue glow of magic. She opened the door and recoiled at the amount of sunlight assaulting her eyes. When her eyes dilated, she found she was looking at a pink pony in the middle of a garden of flowers of all
different bright colors.
"Come on!" Pinkie Pie gestured with a hoof and turned around to slowly proceed through a white picket fence and a beautifully decorated gate. Without giving a thought or a glance back, Vinyl eagerly ran out and followed. She realized immediately that it was actualy warm outside, with sunshine beating on her back.
To her surprise, it didn't rain that day.