//------------------------------// // Nightmare or Dream // Story: Opening my Eyes // by Harmony Split //------------------------------// Opening my Eyes I opened my eyes to the faint smell of pancakes and fresh coffee. Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I looked out of the window. It was a nice morning: The sky was clear and the sun was shining. The other side of the bed bore the shadow of a pony deeply ingrained into the mattress. A fresh scent wafted around me, promising of love and care. I wasn’t alone in my life. “Vinyl, breakfast is ready!” Groaning, I got to my hooves and dragged myself out of the bedroom and down the stairs. Tavi was already sitting at the table, her gaze meeting mine as I entered the kitchen. My mood brightened tenfold as she got up and approached me, gently wrapping her hooves around me as she pulled me into a soft kiss, “Good morning, sleepyhead,” she purred gently as we broke. “Mhh, morning,” I said back, gently nuzzling her. She smiled. “I know it’s early for you after last night, but you promised me that we would take the beautiful day and do something together.” I remembered that. We both worked hard and rarely did anything together lately, so I had promised her we would go to the river and enjoy the nice day. “And I’ll keep my promise,” I told her, with a small smile of my own. “But now I’m hungry, I could even eat you!” “We better save that for later.” She snickered before sitting down again, motioning for me to do the same next to her. I loved pancakes. They were always perfect: golden-brown and delicious. Tavi always served honey or fresh strawberries with them, which made them even better. “Mhh, this smells delicious,” I said, much to her delighted amusement. “I know how much you love them. Now eat, we have a long day ahead of us.” She didn’t have to tell me twice. After loading a stack of pancakes on my plate and pouring honey over it, I dug in. I wasn’t some kind of messy eater, but Tavi still found amusement in my eating habits. Meanwhile she devoured single pancakes from her plate, eating them cleanly with her fork. “How late is it?” I asked between my bites, glaring out of the window again. I noticed that the sun seemed to have already wandered quite a bit. She laughed gently. It was a laugh I would alway melt for. “Well, early for you doesn’t mean it’s early at all. Normally, I would’ve started lunch already.” After a questioning glance from me, she sighed. “It’s after two.” I whistled. “How late did I come home from the gig?” “You better mean how early, in that case. It was seven in the morning when you cuddled up to me.” “I woke you?” “No, I was awake all night waiting for you.” “But why?” “Why?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “Because I can’t really sleep anymore without you. The trip to Stalliongrad last winter was pure horror; there were hundreds of miles between us.” “You still look like you had seven hours of the perfect sleep,” I said. “Well, thank you, my love. I try to keep in shape,” Tavi replied smugly. Luna, how I love her. “Now eat up. I want to go get some ice-cream with you before we go to the river.” “Dessert?!” I quipped before stuffing the last three pancakes in my mouth and swallowing loudly. Grinning, I proclaimed: “Done!” Tavi only shook her head before leaning in to nuzzle me. “Never change.” “As long as you take me how I am, never,” I replied, leaning in to the touch. We stayed like that for a while, just the two of us breathing in each other’s scent before she pulled back, my eyes drowning in her lavender eyes. Slowly, the distance closed again before our lips met, love radiating from our bodies, the kiss filling with burning passion. After all those long years, I could positively claim that every single kiss, every single night, every single touch felt like the first, threatening to melt or burn me away with love. “I love you so much,” she whispered as we broke. I smiled and said, “I love you too.” I closed my eyes, feeling loved and protected. Everything is perfect. *** I opened my eyes and blinked against the sun that shone down on me. Looking to my side, I noticed Tavi next to me, her eyes closing and humming a soft melody. Taking in my surroundings, I knew where we were. We laid at the river near Trottingham, our hind hooves lazily floating in the water. Concentrating on Tavi again, I remembered that melody. That song was playing on the radio in a local store when we first met. We accidentally bumped into each other, but it wasn’t meant as a quick meeting. I noticed her from that day on, every now and then, and she noticed me. It was a funny memory, as we were both too shy, and with that, unable to ask the other out on a date. Our friends had to forcefully help to make it happen, but we both were more than grateful for it. The humming stopped, replaced by a sigh. “This is such a lovely day, thank you for spending it with me.” “It’s my pleasure,” I purred back. “I love spending time with you, you know that.” “But usually you sit in your room and try to record new stuff or upgrade the sound of your existing tunes,” she suddenly snickered. “Only when you’re not here,” I replied. “It helps me keeping my mind from wandering.” “Why is that?” Tavi asked, looking curiously at me. “Because I’m not here if you’re not here. I would cease to exist. You’re my everything, and you will always be.” Tavi gave me a gaze I couldn’t figure out before she smiled. “I turned you into such a mushy sweet talker,” she snickered. “Just for you,” I said before closing the distance for a soft kiss. She gently leaned into the kiss and deepened it as her tongue gently asked for entrance. I averted my muzzle, opening my mouth to let our tongues dance with each other, exchanging sweet gestures words would never can. They would never be able to. After we broke, she gently nuzzled into my side and closed her eyes again. “I love you.” I closed my eyes, humming happily. “I love you too.” What a wonderful day. *** I opened my eyes to the sound of rain. I lay in my bed, the room only slightly illuminated by the streetlight outside. It was dark out, and thick drops of rain came knocking against the windows and the roof. The other side of the bed bore the small contour of a body, but it wasn’t deep. The scent in the air was faint, barely discernible anymore. I closed my eyes again and felt alone—time erased all signs of happiness. I miss you.