The Snow on Her Cheek

Chapter Thirteen

Days of Wine and Roses

***

Vinyl woke up with a yawn. She felt fresh, and vigorous, and ready for anything that might come. In fact, reminiscing the previous events, she concluded that life would serve nothing but good to Octavia and her, at least for the next few days. And nothing could prove otherwise.

The pianist rolled over, ending up face to face with her cellist, who was snoring gently, her mouth slightly open, her mane dishevelled from their recents activities. Vinyl simply couldn't help but notice how cute the grey mare looked, how the way her black mane rested on the pillow made the pianist want to simply lie next to her marefriend, embracing her, for the rest of eternity.

Vinyl lay on her back for a few minutes, taking in the precious moment. She was here, her mare by her side, and they were accepted. They were part of the family now. It all seemed so strange, and so soothing at the same time. To be accepted for who they were, to be tolerated, to be loved... That was all too much for Vinyl to bear and she began sobbing quietly, the novel feeling making her happy and sad at the same time. Happy for the future that Octavia and she would share together; sad for the past, which was full of darkened shadows lurking round and about.

"Vinyl?" Octavia mumbled sleepily, opening her eyes. Warmth immediately filled her whole, invigorating every minute particle of her body and soul, as she saw her marefriend near her, their relationship accepted by family. Wait a minute... "Vinyl, are you crying?" the cellist asked with concern. "Is anything wrong? Is it..." She gasped at the realisation. "...the withdrawal?"

Vinyl sniffed and dried her tears with a hoof. "No, Tavi, everything's great." She smiled warmly, the image of her cellist shining like a beacon of hope in her still wet eyes. "That's... tears of happiness, I guess. I'm just very glad everything turned out so well." She planted a kiss upon Octavia's cheek. However, the grey mare wasn't satisfied with that: she pulled Vinyl into a tight embrace and sealed their lips is a fervent kiss, a kiss that lasted for minutes.

As the cellist let go of her marefriend with a grin, Vinyl gasped for breath. "Wow. Tavi, that was... amazing... But why are you being so straightforward all of a sudden?" she wondered, panting. Though, I would totally prefer determined Tavi over sad Tavi...

"Because I can," Octavia replied with a mischievious smile and licked Vinyl's cheek affectionately. The way the ususally bold unicorn blushed like a schoolfilly made Octavia chuckle. She's so cute when she blushes like that... she thought, rolling over. I totally need to make her embarrassed more frequently...

"By the way, about that withdrawal, Tavi..." Vinyl said, trying to sound bored, although both ponies knew very well that the nonchalance was fake. "Could you get me my ointment from the drawer?"

"Sure thing, love." Octavia got up, three of her hooves stepping on the floor, while the fourth one was placed on top of something... rubber. Oh. Oh. Oh. The cellist's face flushed as she remembered the events of the previous night, including this particular item. That goes under the bed!

In a few moments, Octavia approached the bed with a tube in her hooves, leaning over Vinyl. "Let me apply it," she offered, and the unicorn obediently lowered her head, propping her horn forth.

Octavia began slowly massaging the ointment into her mare's horn, which, to her surprise, resulted in Vinyl shutting her eyes and letting out a long moan. "Anything wrong, love?" she asked in a concerned tone.

"It's... great...  Tavi..." Vinyl replied, panting. "Just... ooooh~ Horns are very... sensitive..." This feels sooo good... "Could you use your tongue?"

"Vinyl!" Octavia exclaimed, her face flushing. "That's gross! I wouldn't do that!" she said firmly, closing the tube. She pondered for a moment, looking at her mare, and a thought occurred to her. "Until night, that is..." she whispered into Vinyl's ear with a sly grin.

"So you are a naughty filly!" the pianist exclaimed, getting up, her grin breaking all possible laws of physics.

"Only to you~" Octavia cooed, not feeling embarrassed at all. Celestia, it seems that she's got a real grip of me... the cellist mused. Not that I mind it in the slightest... "I guess we need to come downstairs," she concluded reluctantly, desipte her desire to spend the rest of the day in bed with Vinyl.

"I guess you're right, Octy."  Vinyl yawned and stretched her limbs.

"Octy?" Octavia blinked.

"Well, when you're being naughty, I'll be calling you 'Octy'. Seems legit, eh?" Vinyl grinned.

"Let's stick with 'Tavi', all right?"

"Sure thing... Octy..."

"Vinyl!"

With that, the grey mare ran after the playful teasing unicorn, following her all the way out of the room.

***

Dinner was marvellous. Vinyl mused that it would be a damn good idea to pay Alexandro a visit from time to time, just to taste all those salads, and soups, and a million sorts of cheese. They were eating in silence: she, Octavia, and Alexandro. There was no sign of Tom, but Vinyl held her tongue, for she knew that something was not wholly right with this family.

"Do you have any idea when Mother will come back?" Octavia asked suddenly, wiping her muzzle with a handkerchief, instead of a napkin. "The Violinist Weekly says her current tournee is taking place across Zebrica?" she wondered in a slightly concerned voice.

Alexandro nodded with a hint of disapproval in his eyes. "I told her not to go, for reasons we both know..." He cast a glance at the mares, which basically stated, war. "...but you know your mother, Octavia. Don't worry, though - I sent my colts and Cornelio with her," he concluded, slightly relaxing.

The cellist nodded. "Yes, brother has always been a fan of her music..." If Cornelio is with her, I needn't worry...

Vinyl silently bit on the hay sandwich. So I take it this Cornelio is another brother of Octavia...

"You shall start packing your possessions, by the way," Alexandro added, glancing at his watch. "I have bought you two tickets for the 8 o'clock train to Manehattan," he explained, seeing the confused looks upon the musicians' faces.

"Father, you needn't have..." Octavia began gratefully, but was interrupted by Vinyl, who completely forgot about manners and such, having processed the information.

"But when I asked the cashier, they said those were already booked!" she exclaimed, quickly adding, "Not that I mind returning home early, of course."

Alexandro chuckled and shook his head, tossing his grey mane slightly. "Vinyl, you will soon learn there is nothing impossible for me. Besides, you ought to start your treatment as soon as possible," he said in a firm tone that left no room fo discussion. Who is he? Vinyl asked herself for what seemed a millionth time.

"Thank you, Alexandro," the pianist said with a grateful nod.

"Thank you, Father." Octavia smiled at her father and put her hoof atop Vinyl's. "We would love to start the treatment tomorrow." She pondered for a moment, taking a sip of tea. "What time is it, by the way?"

"Quarter past seven," Alexandro replied, his calm expression not changing in the slightest.

"Quarter past seven?! Vinyl, we need to collect our things! Quick!" Octavia shouted, jumping up and rushing out of the door frantically, followed by her shocked marefriend, the sound of Alexandro's laughter echoing through the hall.

***

Vinyl and Octavia sat in silence, their train racing the sunset, trying to catch the inevitably setting sun. The cellist was enveloped in her novel, while the pianist stared through the window, her gaze firmly fixed on the red celestial body. Come on, Vinyl, start the conversation. It's easy - she's your marefriend, for buck's sake!

Vinyl cleared her throat audibly, drawing Octavia's attention. "Your father's a nice guy, Tavi," she said carefully, constructing the ladder of the conversation step by step.

"Yes." Octavia smiled. "He is wonderful."

"Care to tell me more?" Vinyl asked with fake innocence in her voice, which was not lost to her insightful marefriend.

"Vinyl, what's on your mind? Spill it," the cellist said, her heart beating faster. I have to tell her. I can't keep secrets from her.

"I wonder..." Vinyl looked down, inspecting her hoof idly. "He has a lot of... 'colts' around, he buys already booked tickets, he has a whole Celestia-damn castle... and he is totally going to have my ex-dealer killed." The pianist raised her gaze and looked into the grey mare's eyes. "And he's from Scoltcilia. Peculiar, huh?"

Octavia sighed and lowered her head. "Vinyl, there is a thing I need to tell you about my family..." She met Vinyl's ruby gaze with her own. "But only if you tell me about your past. I want there to be no secrets between us."

As Vinyl nodded in determination, Octavia sighed again and placed the book on the table. "I guess you ought to know that there is more than one meaning of the word familia." She blinked and looked at her mare, who was listening attentively. "My 'familia'... My family... is part of the marefia."