The Sweetest Music

Chapter Fourteen

Way Back Home

***

The road from Canterlot hadn't been that long.

At least so it seemed to Lyra as she followed Bon-Bon on the narrow path into town. Just as they had left the train station, the lyrist noticed that even the snow seemed to be different today - and not just because of Ponyville's individuality of snowflakes that she'd noticed on her first day here. Maybe it was love? Maybe.

Still, the air didn't seem different, and the sun didn't feel different laying its rays on her skin. Maybe it was a serene, tranquil kind of love, Lyra mused, watching the cream-coloured flank in front of her. Maybe it was for the best. 'Maybes' didn't really bother Lyra that much, with the sweet mare trotting in front of her with her saddlebags on, humming a tune in a low, beautiful tone, while Lyra herself struggled with heavy bags and suitcases, and the lyre case, of course, which she was holding at a distance.

And I'll still have to get my things from the Inn, Lyra added mentally, reminding herself to check out as soon as they had reached Bon-Bon's place and dropped the substantial luggage. Suddenly, the mare realised that she had just assumed that she was welcome to live at Bon-Bon's - based on the kiss; based on their... relationship? Was there even a relationship? And if there was, wouldn't living together ruin it? But then again, straight mares did live together, right? As roommates?

She had to ask.

"Bonnie." The cream-coloured mare slowed her pace a little at the sound of her name - the wonderul, minty variation of her name - and glanced at Lyra over her shoulder. "I was wondering. Maybe I could stay at your place till I can find a house?"

Bon-Bon stopped. Lyra stopped as well, a little thankful for the brief rest as she lowered her possessions, letting her telekinesis recharge a little. The cream-coloured mare pierced the lyrist with her beautiful - beautifully angry - blue eyes. "I thought you would live at my place, Lyra," she said, both sternly and hopefully. "But if you don't want to-"

"I want to." Lyra winced. "I so want to. But I didn't know if you'd be all right with that," she explained. Or did I?

"Of course I'm all right with that, you silly mare!" Bon-Bon exclaimed, making Lyra take a quick look around: there were no ponies, apart from them, on the quiet empty road. "Now come on. Let's get to the store so I can kiss you like the silly mare you are."

Lyra's cheeks reddened a little, but her heart wanted to burst into a song. And so she did. It wasn't a bluesy tune; but it seemed appropriate. Bon-Bon sweet rumbly voice joined hers in harmony as the two mares trotted down the road.

The roads are the dustiest,

The winds are the gustiest,

The gates are the rustiest,

The pies are the crustiest,

The songs the lustiest,

The friends the trustiest -

Way back home~

***

"Come on, Lyra, just a little more!"

The mint mare grunted, her telekinesis almost giving out, as she crawled up the wooden stairs to the second floor of Bon-Bon's. Bon-Bon's cheers certainly didn't help; but, at least, it was funny to see the cream-coloured mare act as a cheerleader. She'd definitely look sexy in a skirt, Lyra thought lustily as she finally dropped the bags on the floor in the - as it seemed - the only room: a nice, spacious bedroom with a huge bed, a wardrobe and a writing desk.

"I knew you'd make it!" Bon-Bon cheered the exhausted lyrist, who dropped herself on the bed.

"You could've helped me, you know," Lyra pointed out, rolling onto her back, her eyes closed. "My magic's gonna take a lot of time to recharge and-"

Bon-Bon pressed her lips against Lyra's as she crawled onto the mare, her weight pressing the mint unicorn to the bed firmly, her tongue entwined with Lyra's, her lips dancing around the minty lips of the unicorn mare. The kiss, finally, lasted long enough for both mares to enjoy.

"-And I think it just recharged," Lyra finished with a goofy smile. It felt so good. It felt so perfect. So natural, even. Even if it wasn't natural, maybe. It still seemed natural to her. The afternoon was smiling brightly at the two mares, after the long evening, and the almost-sleepless night spent in different rooms, and the tearful breakfast with Marianna, and the train ride... Are things looking up, finally looking up? Lyra wondered to herself.

She didn't dare anwer that question.

"I'll get my things from the Inn," Lyra said, tossing a look around the room. "And... I think we'll need to buy a house." She smiled and  quickly added, "For us. There's so much stuff that we'll need a bigger place to live in. We... We could always pass as roommates, you know? Like, friends?" she suggested hopefully.

Bon-Bon smiled a gentle smile. "Get your things from the Inn, honey." Lyra's ear twitched pleasantly from the sweet form of addressing - or was it Bon-Bon's lips tickling at the skin of her ear? Or both?

"Gimme a minute," Lyra groaned back, exhaling as she looked at the cream-coloured mare lovingly. "A minute of rest, and I'll get down to it."

She rolled over, grabbing the mare in her hooves gently, and closed her eyes.

***

Lyra extinguished the cigarette carefully.

Calm serenity washed over her: not just because of her afternoon nap that she'd had before checking out of the Happy Inn ("We wish you all the best, Miss Heartstrings! Hope you enjoyed your stay!"); she was in the bed with the mare she loved, and the night was beautiful, and the curtains were shut, and the door was locked - if anything, there was always a spare bed in the living room on the first floor for Lyra to pretend to have been sleeping there: Bon-Bon had thought everything through - and the lamp was flickering mildly while Bon-Bon was reading some book about pirates and uninhabited islands and something of the kind.

Vim vi repellere licet, a phrase surfaced in Lyra's mind. Force may be defied with force. Maybe. Maybe it may. But it was better - easier - to avoid defying, or meeting, force at all. It was better to lie in bed in a lover's embrace, in privacy, than to go marching in the street for your love, only to be punished.

Lyra rolled over and hugged the cream-coloured mare, who put the book on the stand immediately, and met the embrace. Their lips met, and it seemed that Lyra was enjoying each next kiss more and more; loving it; expecting it. Bon-Bon sighed into the kiss, closing her eyes. This was so good... But it could be better? "Lyra." Bon-Bon looked into the minty mare's eyes seriously, but warmly. "Honey. I want to make love to you."

Lyra blushed, but did not avert her eyes from the mare, instead gazing into those pools of blue lovingly. "So do I." Lyra shifted closer to Bon-Bon under the blanket, feeling the warmth of her body meet hers, her heartbeat making her own heart gallop.

Bon-Bon smiled and turned off the light.