Muted Wubs

by pabrony

Wub Is In The Air

“Yo, Fluttershy! What's happening?” Vinyl asked as she walked into Spa For Paws.

Fluttershy looked up from the puppy she was grooming. “Oh hi, Vinyl. I'm just giving this cute little puppy-wuppy a pampering.”

Vinyl looked at the puppy being pampered. “Uh, that's a pretty big puppy.”

“This is Bernie. He's a Saint Bernard puppy,” Fluttershy said. “But he's still one of the cutest little guys you've ever seen.” She turned her attention to Bernie. “Yes, he is. He's just the cutest little guy.”

“Okay then,” Vinyl said slowly. “Anyway, I was at Neon’s shop checking out the available gigs this weekend and figured I’d stop by and see if you had plans after work before I headed home.”

“Oh, I, uh, I don't know,” Fluttershy began stammering while simultaneously turning a bright shade of pink. “I-I mean, its nice of you t-to ask but it’s j-just so sudden-”

“Hey relax. If you're busy, it's no biggie. I just thought you might want to hang out for a little bit,” Vinyl said as she wrapped her right arm around Fluttershy’s back.

“Y-you really want to, um, ‘hang out’ with me?” Fluttershy asked as she tried to remain focused on grooming Bernie.

“Sure, why not?”

“It… it's just that I, um, hardly get asked to spend time with anyone, you know, one-on-one,” Fluttershy softly explained.

“Flutters, you've been through a type of Hell that not many people go through. I can't even imagine the roller coaster of emotions that you've been riding on since Sunset’s death,” Vinyl said, gently rubbing Fluttershy’s back. “I know you're doing a little better since the rally last month but I imagine it's still pretty rough.”

“It is and I do have nightmares still,” Fluttershy said, “but they are getting less frequent.”

Bernie suddenly shook the water from his fur, eliciting a squeal from each of the girls.

“Good thing I wear a tank top under my shirt,” Vinyl laughed as she looked at her top which had gained a slight transparency.

“Hehe. That's why we wear aprons when bathing pets,” Fluttershy giggled. “There's some towels in that cabinet to your right if you'd like to dry off.”

Vinyl wiped the suds from her arms. “I'm good. It's just a little water.”

“Okay, then,” Fluttershy said, prefacing a semi-awkward pause.

“I’ll, uh, I'll let you get back to work then,” Vinyl said as she began to walk away.

“Oh, um, Vinyl?” Fluttershy called, catching her friend’s attention. “I don't get off until late, but I go on break after I finish up with Bernie. I’ll meet you in the food court in about fifteen minutes if you'd like.”

Vinyl replied with a large smile and a thumbs up.

---

Fluttershy returned work after her impromptu lunch with Vinyl slightly distracted. Even though it was only twenty minutes, her time with the budding DJ had caused a feeling to surface that she hadn't felt in nearly three months: peace. The feeling of guilt brought on by events of Sunset’s demise had finally begun to take a backseat to some other emotion.

Is Vinyl the element that I need in my life? Fluttershy thought as she took the next customer in line. I mean, she hasn't been there for me any less than the rest of the girls.

“Hey, I'd like to keep my fur if you don't mind.”

“Oh, I'm so sorry,” Fluttershy said to the cat she was shampooing. “I'm a little distracted and I didn't realize I was scrubbing so hard.”

“I forgive you. Care to talk about what's on your mind?”

“Well, it's kind of a long story,” Fluttershy said.

“I’ve got plenty of time left before my appointment is over.”

“Okay then, it started about four and a half months ago…” Fluttershy began telling her story to the cat as she continued his grooming. About fifteen minutes later, Fluttershy wrapped up her tale. “So what do you think?”

“I’m no expert on human emotions,” said the cat as he set a paw on Fluttershy’s face, “but it sounds to me like you're in love.”

Fluttershy stepped back slightly. “In… in love? But I've been in love before and it didn't feel like this, Mr. Wuzzles.”

Mr. Wuzzles tilted his head. “Are you sure?”

---

Over the next few weeks, Fluttershy began spending more time with Vinyl when she wasn't hanging out with Rainbow Dash and the others. She spent a lot of time texting Vinyl when she was at work or with the rest of the Rainbooms. It even got to the point where they would text each other during class. Then, out of the blue, Vinyl cornered Fluttershy with a ticket to the school’s orchestra concert.

“I don't know what to say,” Fluttershy said as she brushed her bangs aside. “I wouldn't have thought that you were into orchestral music.”

“It's not something I like to advertise,” Vinyl said with a smile, “being a DJ and all. It's mainly to support Tavi.”

“Oh, I see…” Fluttershy whispered.

Vinyl instantly picked up on Fluttershy’s sudden mood change. “Yo, it’s nothing like that. Me and Tavi have been friends for years and I've gone to nearly all of her recitals and concerts.”

Fluttershy looked at Vinyl’s facial expression and could easily see that she was telling the truth. “If I can get someone to cover my shift that night, I'll be there.”

---

“That was a beautiful performance, Octavia,” Fluttershy said as she and Vinyl met up with Octavia after the concert.

“Thank you for the kind words, Fluttershy, but it was far from beautiful,” Octavia responded. “Being the second chair with an untalented third chair playing horribly in your ear can hardly lead to a pristine performance.”

“It sounded good to me, Tavi,” Vinyl chimed in, trying to boost her friend’s spirits. “I got an idea. How about some ice cream at that 50’s diner at the mall?” Fluttershy quickly tensed up at the mention of the diner. “Something wrong, Flutters?”

“I, um, no,” Fluttershy stammered. “Well, maybe.”

“Whatever is the matter, dear?” Octavia asked as she loaded her cello into her SUV while Vinyl and Fluttershy climbed into the back seat.

“I, um, may have lied to Pinkie Pie about not wanting to go to a slumber party at her house and so she picked up some extra hours at the diner tonight instead of having the party,” Fluttershy said as she began wringing her hands together nervously as Octavia started the vehicle.

“Gotcha,” Vinyl said, giving her a small hug. “What about Sugarcube Corner? I mean, the ice cream’s not as good but it's still pretty kickin’.”

“That’s fine by me, Vinyl. Fluttershy?”

“Um, sure. I guess that'll work,” Fluttershy said softly.

“Great, it's settled,” Vinyl looked at Fluttershy. “Are you still staying over tonight?”

“I… I didn't realize that I was invited,” said Fluttershy as Octavia drove the three of them to Sugarcube Corner. “But I can if Octavia’s okay with it. I really don't want to be an unwanted house guest.”

Octavia looked at Fluttershy from the rearview mirror. “Of course it will be fine. It will be nice to have some company for a change.”

“Thank you very much then,” Fluttershy said with a small smile.

---

Later that evening, Vinyl and Fluttershy lounged on the couch watching a movie about what pets do after their owners leave for work. Vinyl initially protested, claiming the movie to be “boring” but had since gotten more engrossed in it than Fluttershy.

“Um, Vinyl? Can I ask you something kind of, I don't know, personal?” Fluttershy asked softly.

“Sure. What do you want to know?”

“Is Octavia okay with you and me, you know, talking to each other so much and hanging out and stuff?”

Vinyl let out a small chuckle. “Yeah. Why wouldn't she be okay with it?”

“Well, you know, because of your relationship with each other.”

Vinyl chuckle turned into a playful laugh. “Hold on a minute. I told you the other day me and Octavia aren't like that. Yes, we’re roommates. Yes, we're good friends. But Octavia’s straighter that one of the lasers in my light shows.”

“So you mean-”

“No, we aren't dating,” Vinyl finished for her.

“Can I ask you another question then?”

“You can ask however many questions you want. Heck, you can lay your head on my lap while we talk, if you'd like.”

Fluttershy shifted around so she was laying on Vinyl’s lap with her head propped up on the armrest of the couch. “This might seem kind of random but,” Fluttershy took a deep breath, “have you ever been in love before?”

“Well… let's see,” Vinyl said as she began to think. “Once.”

“Once?”

“Mhmm.”

“Could you tell me about it?”

“Sure. This happened a few years ago. I think I was fourteen or fifteen. I had gotten a reputation for running some sick tunes at parties I had attended.

“Anyway, I had gone to Neon’s store to blow my allowance on a new fog machine to go with my ever growing stash of DJ materials. While I was checking out he told me his niece, Limelight, was going to be in town for her birthday and asked me if I was interested in learning how to run a table for the party he was throwing for her. Naturally, I said yes.

“The day of Limelight’s party is one I'll never forget. I went to the party early so I could get acquainted with the equipment that I'd be using and when she walked in the room for the first time… I wanted to plant a kiss on her right then and there.”

“So you were always, um, gay?” Fluttershy interrupted.

“Yeah, it didn't really sink in until I met Limelight. I had crushes on girls all through elementary and middle school but I hadn't had feelings that strong before that. I digress, we really hit it off, friendship-wise. We swapped numbers after the party, called and texted daily, even Skyped every so often. I really thought we had a connection.

“The next time she was in Canterlot, I decided to ask her to the movies as an indirect first date. It all was going great until I put my arm around her.”

“What happened then?” Fluttershy asked.

Vinyl let out a loud sigh and continued, “She asked what I was doing and like an idiot, I just blurted out my feelings for her. She jumped up in the middle of the movie, slapped me in the face, called me a sick pervert, and ran out of the theater.

“I cried for days after that. I couldn't look at the turntable that Neon had given me. I stopped going to parties for five or six months. All because these things had reminded me of Limelight. It had gotten to the point where my parents sent me to therapy.”

“Oh, wow. I had no idea,” Fluttershy said in awe.

“To be honest, you're the first person I've told that story to. Not even Octavia has heard that tale.”

Fluttershy continued to lay silently in wonder as she tried processing why Vinyl would keep that story to herself for so long. Something so personal that she kept it from her best friend but was willing to share it with her. Her thoughts were shaken by a sudden dimming of the lighting in the room; which was the result of Vinyl turning off the reading lamp next to the couch.

“Are you going to bed now?” asked Fluttershy.

Vinyl pulled her glasses off and showed them to Fluttershy. “Have you ever wondered why I always wear these shades?”

“Not really, but now that you mention it, I am kind of curious.”

“I'm sure you saw my irises when you and your friends sang that bitchin' song in the cafeteria during the infamous Fall Formal.”

“Um, yes. Why?”

“I've got a condition with my eyes that makes them extremely sensitive to Ultraviolet lighting. These shades are not only stylish but they filter out all the UV light that affects my vision. And because of that, I hardly ever take them off,” Vinyl explained.

“So what is the reason you took them off now?” Fluttershy asked as her heart began beating harder.

“Well… there are only three reasons I take them off. For sleeping, for bathing and…” she leaned down as Fluttershy began to sit up, “for this.”

Time seemingly came to stop as the lips of the two girls met. Fluttershy gazed into Vinyl's eyes as they parted and whispered softly, "I love you, Scratchie."

"I love you, too, Critter Lover."

Author's Note:

The technical term for Vinyl's sensitivity to light is called photophobia. One of the causes is the pupils not adjusting to light like they should.

Comments

[Golden Fang Ryu Shenron]

VinylShy for the win!

[AuthorGenesis]

Octavia looked at Fluttershy from the rearview mirror. “Of course it will be fine. It will be nice to have some company for a change.”

Vinyl: Hey! Are you saying my company isn't great?