The Snow on Her Cheek

Chapter Twenty-Nine

On the Sunny Side of the Street

***

The sky chariot pierced the clouds, reflecting the glorious sunlight. The everpresent cloud curtain was broken, and light began streaming through the opening. Vinyl and Octavia lay on a pile of comfortable cushions, the cellist's head placed in her mare's lap as the pianist played with the grey pony's mane, brushing it and stroking it, and running her hoof through it, lost in the sensation.

"You know, it was very nice of your father to give us a carriage, and a flat, and some money," Vinyl said, tossing Octavia's mane. "I mean, it would take a long time for us to find a place to live," she explained, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible, even though she honestly felt that, despite Alexandro being Octavia's father, he treated her, Vinyl, as his own daughter. And that felt... good. Unusual, but very, very good. The pianist was finally able to experience the wonderful feeling of being cared for, and cared about; of being part of a family, a real family. She felt slightly guilty for having felt envious before; she had envied Octavia in a way, knowing that she had a caring father, and a loving mother... Not any more, Vinyl reminded herself. The guilt had faded the instant Sofia's coffin entered the wet soil - her last refuge, the shelter keeping the dead safe from the world of the living, the ultimate frontier...

Vinyl shook her head violently. There was no place for such thoughts in her head, especially now that Octavia was feeling happy, for the first time since the terrible event.

"Yes, he's a very nice pony," Octavia replied, stretching lazily. "It's so great to have some freedom at last," she added with a smile.

"Sure," Vinyl replied. "Hey, you know what that means?" she asked suddenly, a wide grin hitting her face.

"Mmhm?" the cellist purred, bathing in the feeling of her lover's hoof stroking her mane.

"We can freely make out in the streets now!" the pianist exclaimed triumphantly.

"Vinyl!" Octavia blushed in embarrassment. "Even though it's legal now, I'm still not an exhibitionist!" she retorted, unwanted (wanted?) images filling her head.

The white unicorn shrugged. "Dunno what that word means, but hey, we should at least try!"

Octavia groaned and facehoofed. "I'll totally buy you a dictionary once we get to Los Pegasus," she grunted, not able, however, to be angry with her mare, chuckling mentally.

"Yeah..." Vinyl scratched the back of her head sheepishly, an unspoken question frozen on her lips. Come on, Vinyl... It's just a question... "So... kinda cool they legalised single-sex marriage, eh?" She began drawing circles with her hoof in Octavia's mane idly, her heart racing.

Octavia's mind froze for a second. Is she... Is she trying to...? "Yes..." The cellist avoided looking into the white mare's eyes, her heart rate increasing dramatically as well. "That's... great..." She blushed a little. Great, Octavia. When the moment comes, you can't even form your thoughts properly...

"Yeah..." Vinyl chuckled. Amazing, Vinyl. Couldn't you have chosen a better place and time to propose? she thought, the last word hitting her like a tidal wave. "Tavi," she said very seriously, making the grey mare look into her eyes directly, concern and undying love shining in them. "I've known you only for a short time, but I know one thing." She coughed, trying to gather her courage. "Every time I see you, my heart explodes. Every time we kiss, I know I will never want to kiss any other lips in my entire life. When we-"

"Los Pegasus!" the pegasus, who'd been pulling the chariot, announced, interrupting the two mares. "Miss Philarmonica, Miss Scratch, we've arrived."

Damn it! Vinyl frowned. Thanks for ruining the moment. She glared at the pegasus, but took her luggage nevertheless. "Let's go, Tavi," she said. "We'll... talk about it later."

"Sure." The cellist nodded. "We've got all the time in the world. We can talk... later," she said, adding mentally, When we're both more prepared.

The mares left the chariot, avoiding looking at each other, their faces hot, their hearts racing at full speed in unison. They took a few hesitant steps forward, and finally glanced at each other. All of a sudden, they burst into laughter.

"Yeah..." Vinyl scratched the back of her head, chuckling. "I'm a real master of choosing the right time for everything..." she said sarcastically.

"Don't worry, Vinyl." Octavia kissed her mare on the horn, smiling. "I know what you were trying to say..." She looked up to the sky. "You know, we really need to save this talk for later..." She winked at the embarrassed pianist. "When you've prepared the ring."

Vinyl's mouth fell agape as her cellist walked past her, brushing her face with her beautiful black tail. Damn it, Tavi, you're such a teaser! she thought, grinning widely. But she didn't say yes yet... Vinyl rubbed her chin. Well, that only means I totally have to invest in a ring... and a dictionary, she concluded, her spirits high, trotting after her mare.

***

"Wow."

Vinyl looked around the flat, her mouth open, no matter how hard she tried to close it. "Wow," she repeated, eyeing the spacious living room, whose general brown colouring was accentuated by dark red curtains, which let no light in, nor did they let any light out. And the light was glorious indeed: just a few light bulbs provided the whole room with a show of colour that reflected off the elaborately decorated furniture. A majestic red sofa crowned the composition, standing royally in the middle of the room, its back propped against the opposite wall.

"That's... That's a hell of a flat," the unicorn admitted, all thoughts in her mind replaced with a feeling of awe and admiration. I wonder where Alexandro got such an amazing flat... she mused, her eyes drifting aimlessly about the room. Marefia, Vinyl, she answered her own question. Serious business.

Octavia smirked proudly, putting the keys on the small table by the door. "That's not the only room, Vinyl," she said, a grin playing upon her lips. "This is only the living room. There's also a bedroom, a kitchen, and two separate bathrooms," the grey pony carried on, remembering the last time her father had taken her here when she was just a little filly. Unfortunately, her mother hadn't been able to make it here back then...

"But I'm sure we'll need only one bathroom..." Vinyl said in a sultry tone, moving closer to the cellist, whose face flushed the next instant. "And hey, a separate room just for making music?.." the pianist emphasised the last two words as she began planting small kisses on her mare's neck.

"Vinyl..." Octavia began panting slightly, trying to hold her arousal at bay. "The bedroom's not just for..." Oh sweet Celestia it feels so good!

"Oh, is it so?" Vinyl began nibbling on the mare's neck, while her hoof was massaging her cellist's flank. "Well, we can make love right here on the sofa..." Vinyl nibbled on her mare's ear. "Right no-"

A loud knock at the door interrupted the two lovers, eliciting disapproving groans from both Vinyl and Octavia. Of all the times somepony would knock... the cellist thought with a frown, trotting towards the door.

When she opened it, she saw two mares on the doorstep: a mint unicorn, who was wearing a grey hat for some reason, and a cream-coloured earth pony with a peculiar blue mane with pink streaks... or was it pink with blue streaks?

"Hello, new neighbours!" the unicorn exclaimed cheerfully, waving her hoof in the air.

"Erm... Hi?" Octavia blinked, watching the two mares enter their flat unceremoniously.

"Hi," Vinyl said, slightly taken aback herself.

"My name's Lyra," the mint unicorn said, taking off her hat, and pointed her hoof at the cream-coloured earth pony, who bowed her head. "This is my wife, Bon-Bon."

Octavia blinked again, her brain trying to process the information. Wife?.. As in...

"But... you're both mares," she said with a little blush, immediately scolding herself for such a straightforward approach.

"So what?" the unicorn snapped suddenly. "Got a problem with that, sexy flank?"

"Hey!" Vinyl exclaimed, glaring daggers at the mint mare. "She's my sexy flank!" The pianist put her hoof around Octavia's neck protectively.

A grin appeared on Lyra's face. "Told you, Bonnie," she addressed the cream-coloured mare with a wink. "Gets 'em every time." She turned towards the two confused musical ponies. "Sorry for such straightforwardness. Bon-Bon and I just wanted to know if our neighbours were open towards our relationship, that's all," she explained. "I meant no offence; it's just better to know where your new neighbours stand on the matter as soon as possible, especially concerning how many haters there are around." She winked at Vinyl. "But now I see you've no problems with gay ponies, given that you two are in a relationship yourselves..."

"Heh, yeah, we are..." Vinyl scratched the back of her head sheepishly.

"We are," Octavia said, extending her hoof. "And it's always good to make some new friends."

Lyra shook the grey hoof with a smile. "Something tells me we'll get along," she said, now shaking Vinyl's hoof as Octavia and Bon-Bon exchanged the same gesture.

"As long as you can put up with Lyra's strange behaviour," the cream-coloured pony said. "Even I can't always predict what that mare will do the next moment."

"Same here." Octavia nodded in Vinyl's direction, exchanging an understanding look with Bon-Bon, smiling at the new neighbours. "Tea?"

Vinyl and Lyra nodded eagerly, warming towards each other as it had been made clear that the mares meant no ill intentions towards each other.

Bon-Bon smiled and nodded slightly.

"That would be lovely."