"Oh, where is my saddlebag?.." I moan as I search the apartment. "Vinyl, have you been misplacing my things again?" I muttered this to myself, not expecting an answer, but I got one none the less.

"Uuuuuuuuuuuugh..." A groan and a thump from the direction of the sofa. "Not so early, 'Tavi." She looks dazed as if she hasn't slept much. "Your saddlebag is right where you left it, behind your cello case." She moans at me.

I sigh with relief. "Thanks Vinyl, dear. I'm sorry I woke you, but you really should sleep in your bed rather than on the sofa."

I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Octavia Philharmonica. I play the cello and belong to a small orchestral ensemble. The unicorn with the messy blue mane stumbling into the kitchen is my dear, sweet friend and...

"'Taaaaaaaaviiii... Why isn't there any coffee?.." She moans.

I sigh. My dear, sweet, EXASPERATING friend and roommate, Vinyl Scratch. She's a DJ. The best word to describe her music is: LOUD.

"'Tavi, you know I'm no good at this first thing in the morning." She pouts.

Vinyl, why oh why must I always have a nickname? Well, at least "'Tavi" is an improvement over "Octy". "Vinyl dear, I'm sorry. I just didn't have the time. My recording session is today." I start to pick up my cello case, empty. I fight back a wave of panic before I remember I'm picking it up from the music shop on my way to the session.

Vinyl drops the can of instant coffee, still sealed thank Celestia, and rushes over to hug me with a speed you would not believe of somepony desperate for caffeine.

"Oh, I forgot! 'Tavi hon, I'm sure you'll do a great job. Your composition is wonderful, everypony's going to love it" She nuzzles me and plants a kiss on my cheek. Despite her little ways, Vinyl can be so sweet sometimes and always reminds me why she is my dearest friend. "I still get the first demo copy, right?" She asks, fluttering her lashes at me.

I smile. "Thank you. Of course you do dear, now I'd better hurry or I'll be late."

Alright, let me stop you right there because I know what you're thinking. No, Vinyl and I are NOT romantically involved. We've been best friends since we were little fillies on our first day of primary school. And yes, when she's not being exasperating, I love her dearly. I'm certain she feels the same about me. She's a very affectionate pony, and shows it, but it's always been completely friendly and innocent.

At the end of our last year in college together, she stayed up with me all night helping me study for my last and hardest exam. As a result, she very nearly failed one of her own. Thankfully she pulled through and we graduated together like we always dreamed. That's when it started, I started it, a little in joke between us. Ever since then, I've called her "dear" and she's replied back with "hon" or "honey" and lately she throws in a flourish like a nuzzle or a peck on the cheek. It just means we're very close friends, or perhaps the sisters neither of us had growing up.

She lets me go and I slip on my saddlebag and heft the empty case onto my back. I may not look like it, but my hind legs are quite strong from all my practice and performance with my cello. "See you tonight before my gig?" She asks.

"I expect so. Unless the session runs late, I should be home in the early afternoon."

Vinyl returns to the coffee maker, waving to me as I leave. I trot off down the street to the music shop. No, my cello wasn't damaged by Vinyl's reckless behavior as you might guess, it's the one thing she's always most careful about. Rather, it needed to be restrung and have new tuning pegs fitted. It's quite embarrassing to be playing a piece in D major, only to have your cello slip into B minor. I need it to be in top form today. As you may have guessed from Vinyl's reassuring me, the piece we're recording today is my own composition, Octavia's Sonata. If the recording can be finished today, it will be the final song on my ensemble's latest album. As you can expect, my stomach is tied in knots from the worst combination of nervousness and excitement.

*~~~*

Around 3PM I return to our apartment. Vinyl is perched on what was her makeshift bed and her blankets are still strewn about. Vinyl, won't you ever clean up? Her eyes are closed and her head is bobbing and even though she's wearing headphones, the music she's listening to is just audible from here. I put my cello in it's place with my saddlebag draped over the neck this time and despite the seeming futility of the act, I greet Vinyl and tell her I'm home. I don't know how she can hear me over that racket, but she always does, pausing her music and removing headphones.

"'Tavi! Welcome home! How'd the session go? Didja make the album cut?" I think she's even more excited about this album than I was. I don't blame her, she's half the reason that composition ever saw the light of day.

I smile at her and hold up the magically etched vinyl disc. "Here you are, dear. The first copy just like I promised." That earned me another hug and a kiss on each cheek. I couldn't help blushing. Vinyl can sometimes go a little overboard on the affection, but I don't have the will to stop her. At least it's a pleasant quirk.

She squeals with delight. "Sit down, 'Tavi. I want to listen to it before I have to go." I sit down on the sofa as Vinyl swaps the discs, unplugs her headphones and turns the volume down to a more natural level. She's back on the sofa, right at my side almost as soon as she starts the track, eyes closed, head on my shoulder. This is a little ritual she has whenever she listens to one of my performances for the first time. She says she can feel my mood as the music plays and that it gives her a more meaningful experience. It's probably just another one of her affectionate little games, and I find myself wondering more often whether her affection really is entirely innocent. Still, I don't mind playing along. It's nice to be appreciated by somepony with otherwise outlandish taste in music.

There are tears in her eyes as the piece finishes. "Oh, 'Tavi. It's beautiful, I knew it would be."

I blush a little. "Thank you, Vinyl. I'm glad you pushed me to finish it. I don't know what I'd do without you." I do wish these sweet moments would never end, I much prefer this side of Vinyl.

She nuzzles my shoulder a bit before leaping up suddenly and shouting. "Augh, I'm going to be late! I forgot they wanted me to set up an hour early tonight!" The moment inevitably broken, Vinyl rushes around. She snatches up her glasses, mic, spare cords, and a few albums, some in her hooves, some by magic. You really should take my advice when it comes to organization. Meanwhile, I carefully put away the demo disc I just brought home, I know she'll be upset if it gets hurt. She may lead a fairly disorganized life, but every album I've performed on she keeps neat and orderly and never lets them get damaged.

"Oh!" She stops dead, bulging saddlebag half slung over her waist. "I almost forgot! What kind of cake do you want for your birthday, 'Tavi hon?"

I think for a moment, I don't want to take too long, Vinyl is obviously chomping at the bit to get to her gig. "Mmmm... Chocolate this year, dear. With purple icing."

Vinyl has always made a big fuss about my birthday. I feel guilty sometimes, she always buys me such lavish presents, but I do try to give just as well as I get. I do my best to make sure her birthdays are nothing to scoff at. Usually it's just the two of us at home on my birthdays, Vinyl knows I prefer quiet get togethers, or sometimes she'll organize a small party with my ensemble. Whatever the circumstances, Vinyl always makes me feel like the most important pony in Equestria on my birthday and I do my best to do the same for her.

She steps closer, lifting my chin with a hoof, I blush some more. "Just the color of your eyes, I'll make sure." She locks gazes with me, then grins wide. "Later, 'Tavi!" With that, she's gone. Vinyl, you are a frustrating one sometimes. At least she doesn't play these sorts of games in public. Somepony might think we're dating.

With nothing else to do now that my composition and the album are finished, I plug Vinyl's headphones back in and put on the album she was listening to when I walked in. She is always nice enough to listen to my music and I'm sure she genuinely enjoys it. At a reasonable volume, her favorite music isn't bad either. Perhaps not my everyday listening fare, but a nice change of pace. I close my eyes and listen to the beat.

With her style of music drumming softly against my ears, my thoughts turn to her. The look in her sparkling raspberry eyes just now, could there be more to it than just an affectionate friendship? Vinyl, are you trying to tell me something? I'm not sure exactly how I feel about that. Vinyl has been my best friend for a long time and we get along rather well despite our differences. Would it really change anything between us? Do I even like her that way? I've never really dated anypony, I just don't know.

*~~~*

The next thing I know, Vinyl is gently shaking my shoulder with a hoof. I blink and rub a foreleg across my eyes as the headphones slip from my head. "Vinyl?"

"Who's sleeping on the sofa now, 'Tavi?" She grins at me. "Now you know why I play it loud, hon. Otherwise trance will put you right to sleep."

I look around and see that she's right. I must have fallen asleep listening to her music, I have a vague recollection of a whirlwind of questions, but I put that aside. I yawn, slowly coming back to my senses. "How was your gig?"

"Awesome as always, everypony was stomping their hooves for more right up to wrap time!" She tosses her saddlebag into a corner, the contents spilling over the floor as she sits down at my side. "What did you think?" She asks, motioning at the album I was listening to.

"Oh, well to be honest I don't remember, Vinyl dear." I said nervously, a hoof behind my head. "I must have been quite tired."

"Hey, no problem hon. Bet you were beat after your recording session." She puts the album back on, unplugging the headphones and turning the volume up a little bit, thankfully not too much. "I want you to listen to this one track, though. Tell me what you think."

She returns to my side as I sit up. By her body language, she seems to want me to emulate her album ritual. As I lay my head on her shoulder, I listen to the beat and wonder if that means this is her composition. Played loud, this is definitely what I'd associate with the clubs Vinyl plays in. But at a reasonable volume, it's actually quite soothing. No wonder I fell asleep to it. Wait a moment, that sounds familiar. I recognize that passage in the melody, that's almost the same one Vinyl suggested as the scherzo in my sonata.

As the track ends, I sit up. Vinyl is looking at me eagerly. "What do you think, 'Tavi?"

"It was quite lovely for such an energetic piece. Is it one of your compositions?" I ask.

She touches a hoof to my nose. "On the nosey, hon. Glad you like it." She grins.

"I couldn't help noticing the scherzo you suggested for my sonata near the end."

"Heh, yeah. Remember that day you spent all afternoon humming the adagio movement, trying to find a good complement?" Vinyl says, scratching her mane. I nod, I'd had a bad case of writer's block. "Well, you got it stuck in my head and when I started mixing this track, that melody just kind of fell into place. It was perfect for my song and when I listened to the melody by itself, I realized it was perfect for you too."

I was quite taken aback. I knew that Vinyl could be a wonderful muse when I need inspiration, but I never dreamed that I would inspire her in return. I guess I just never really gave her music a chance.

"Actually," she continued, "I was wondering, now that you're finished recording and it's going to make it on the album and all. What would you think if I did a remix of it? Kinda like this track, only with your whole sonata mixed in."

I didn't know what to say, my mind raced furiously. I never expected such an offer and probably would have turned it down without a second thought before, but now that I had really sat down and listened to her composition, I see the potential. Vinyl seemed to take my extended thought period as a bad sign. "Of course, you'll get credit on the album, hon. I wouldn't take that away from you." She grinned nervously.

"Oh, Vinyl dear." I smiled at her reassuringly. "Of course you can remix my sonata. I admit, I haven't given your music nearly the courtesy you've shown mine, but it really was quite lovely. At a reasonable volume, anyway." I hoped I hadn't offended her. The tight hug I quickly received confirmed that I did not.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, 'Tavi hon." She squealed. "Oh! I'd better get to mixing, then. If I hurry, I can have it done in time for your birthday."

"Have fun." I give Vinyl a smile, which is quickly wiped off my face by a yawn. "Perhaps I should go to bed. I don't know how you get any decent sleep on that sofa."

"It's not so bad once you get used to it. Night 'Tavi!"

"Good night, Vinyl."

*~~~*

The next three days, I don't see much of Vinyl, despite being home most of the time. She really is putting all her effort into this remix. My mind has been pondering the answers to the questions I raised. Vinyl would probably answer all of them for me if I were bold enough to ask, but I'm not. Once each day I've had the perfect opportunity to ask her and find out, but each time my heart began to race at the mere thought and I quickly backed away to calm myself. I honestly don't even know which answer would scare me more, yes or no. Oh Vinyl dear, I'm so confused now and I can't even turn to you for advice.

My birthday arrived uneventfully as it always does. I took care of some errands in the morning and returned to our apartment in the early afternoon. I expected Vinyl to be there with my cake and present, waiting not so patiently for me. Instead, on the table was a short, square wrapped box and an envelope with Vinyl's hoofwriting. "Open me first" I did so and inside was a note.

'Tavi,

I'm so sorry hon, my gig that was supposed to be tomorrow got changed to today. I tried to complain, but they waved my contract at me and threatened to fire me. I left your present here on the table, I wish I could see you open it. I finished our remix, if you'll pick up your cake at the bakery and come down to the club I'll play it for you and we can celebrate here.

Love, Vinyl~

PS: If you do show up, please wear your present. <3

I felt shocked and saddened. This is the first time Vinyl has ever missed my birthday. I would have expected Vinyl to be more reckless and give up her contract rather than giving in, perhaps she has some good sense after all. I can't help feeling a bit let down, though. I never realized until just now how much my birthday celebrations meant to me.

I open up my present and receive another shock. Inside, in a velvet lined jewelry case, is the diamond necklace I looked at a couple months ago. Vinyl and I had gone out shopping and this necklace had caught my eye. It cost far too many bits for my budget, Vinyl how did you ever afford this? She had to have spent every bit she had. She has been working more than usual lately, sleeping on the sofa certainly points to that conclusion.

I'm certain now that she's kicking herself over not being here with me. After a few minutes admiring myself and the necklace in the mirror, I leave to visit the bakery and pick up my cake. The icing really is just the color of my eyes, oh Vinyl you're so sweet. As I reach the club I find it odd that there's no line out front. I wonder if perhaps it's some kind of private party. There is music playing inside. I slip in via the employee entrance, Vinyl used her influence to get me a permanent backstage pass even though I rarely come here.

There is music playing, but the dance floor is dark as I set my cake down on the empty refreshments table. As I turn to look, the lights suddenly come up and I hear: "SURPRISE!" Vinyl is there in the middle of the floor, along with the members of my ensemble, and a few of our mutual friends. I start to tear up.

"Oh, Vinyl..." I'm trying not to cry. She moves forward and hugs me.

"You don't think I'd leave you hanging on your birthday, do you?" She pats my back. "If they'd really rescheduled me for your birthday, I would have torn the contract right up and thrown it in their faces." I really do start to cry, I'm so happy.

She pulls back to admire me and my necklace. "Nice rocks, which of your boyfriends bought you those?" She grins.

I thump her chest with a hoof and grin a little. "Oh, stop it. I don't know how you could afford it, but it's lovely and I can't thank you enough."

"Guilty as charged." She smiles. "I saw the longing look in your eye at the jewelry shop, but I also knew you'd never buy it for yourself. A beautiful mare like you deserves that necklace."

I hug Vinyl to me and sob tears of happiness into her shoulder. Vinyl, you're so sweet to me, I have to know, I have to ask how you feel about me, maybe that will help me make up my mind...

As I blink back my tears and get ready to ask that burning question, the music changes. "Here comes our remix, 'Tavi!" Vinyl says excitedly. "Let's go dig into your cake while we listen."

I don't know whether to be relieved or annoyed by the distraction, but there's no stopping Vinyl when she gets her mind set on either music or food and most especially when it's both. She slices the cake and takes great delight in feeding me bites, levitating the fork with her magic as we listen to her remix. Both are excellent. The cake perfectly moist and delicious, and the music fill me with delight. It's still the sonata I worked so hard on, but Vinyl's influence brings out the subtle nuances of the composition. The perfect combination of our individual talents, perhaps from now on we should collaborate more often, Especially if we... I blush at the thought. Well, why not? If she feels the same way about me, that is.

The music changes again. I'm about to speak when I realize that my original sonata is now playing. Vinyl lets out a small groan. "Stupid randomizer. It always sticks remixes of the same song back to back." She starts to get up to change tracks.

"No, no." I stop her. "This is just what I wanted. Vinyl hon, will you come dance with me?"

She looks startled. "Of course, dear." We walk out to the middle of the dance floor, turning face to face. I move in and rest my head on her shoulder and she mirrors me. We start to sway softly and orbit each other to the slow beat.

The perfect way to have privacy in a public space, I whisper into her ear. "Vinyl hon, I have to know. How do you really feel about me?"

She seems taken aback, but I don't let her break our rhythm. "What do you mean? You're my best friend, always will be."

I chuckle to myself, her nervousness is a dead giveaway, but I want to hear her say it to be certain. "I don't mean that, of course we'll always be best friends." I lift my head, stopping our dance, and lock eyes with her. "Vinyl, do you love me?"

Her eyes go wide and she stammers a bit. "I, well I..."

Poor Vinyl, she's been so bold under the pretense of friendship, yet she chokes up at the moment of truth. "Vinyl." I say again, giving my voice a slight edge, smirking inwardly. "Vinyl. Do. You. Love. Me?.." I let half a heartbeat go by. "I love you."

Her eyes go even wider and she gulps. Then, her feelings come rushing out. "'Tavi dear, I love you so bad it hurts. I have for a long time, but I didn't think you were interested, so I just settled for being extra super friendly toward you."

I lay my head back on her shoulder and continue our slow dance. "I know, Vinyl hon. It took me a while, but I finally figured it out. I wasn't even sure how I felt until tonight."

"What do you mean, 'Tavi dear?"

"Your remix, hon. Our music sounded so lovely together, better than they did apart. That's when I knew."

This time, Vinyl was the one who pulled back, stopping our dance to look in my eyes. "I'm glad I finished it for tonight, dear."

"So am I, hon." I leaned in and kissed her. I heard the gasps as our friends saw what was happening, but I didn't care, neither did Vinyl. We had attention only for each other.

Let me revise what I said earlier. Vinyl and I are romantically involved. We've been best friends since we were fillies and that won't change. I love her dearly, and I'm certain she feels the same. We complement each other beautifully and we're sure to have a long and happy relationship.