Truth: Part Twelve

A soft murmur filled the small, somewhat dingy, college auditorium.  Ponies filed in slowly with still plenty of time until the show began. Vinyl and Octavia sat only a few rows back, on the right side of the stage. Vinyl hadn't seen too many plays in her day, she never cared for them. They were always so boring and hard to follow. Not only that, but it was a miracle if she could sit still for more than ten seconds. But the persistently growing, excited energy emanating from the room was too much for her to remain apathetic towards. That, and with Octavia sitting to the left of her, she was doing whatever she needed to to remain calm. The seats had only a thin arm rest between them, and Vinyl had to focus to keep herself from leaning into her beloved.

There was a set of metal steps on the stage, leading up to a metal over hang. The over hand stretched backwards into a walkway, wherein it circled around to yet another over hang, this one with a ladder underneath. It reminded Vinyl of a fire escape on the outside of an old apartment building, somewhere near Manehatten. There were few other props. A lone table sat in the middle of the stage with aluminum trash cans littered along the edges. For the few props that there were, the stage still looked full.

Before long the lights dimmed, leaving the auditorium in complete darkness. The noise quickly dissipated, leaving an anxious feeling in the air. It was almost static with excitement. A piano began to play in the background and within seconds the auditorium was bursting with cheers. On stage, eight white hot spot lights fell onto eight separate ponies that stood still, smiling at the crowd. As they began to sing, Vinyl felt a weird feeling in her chest. They all sounded so... GOOD together.

"Five hundred, twenty five thousand, six hundred minutes…"

Okay you. Octy might have dragged you here. And you may or may not have a clue what you're watching, but you will not enjoy this. Don't do it. Or… something bad will happen!

Vinyl couldn't help herself though. As the musical wore on, she found herself tapping her hoof in unison with the music. She expected less-than-great singers and a subpar, lifeless performance. But she was so entranced in the play, in the actors, that she didn't notice the shift in Octavia's posture. She found herself feeling one with the bumbling director pony, but found herself drawn to the brooding pony and his flirtatious dance with the small, admittedly gorgeous, mare. She giggled freely at the flamboyant pony in the Santa outfit, dancing around the makeshift apartment with skill she only dreamed of having.

The normally hyper-aware-of-Octavia sense Vinyl had was completely thwarted by this musical. Which is why when the lights came up for intermission, Vinyl almost had an accident, she was so startled.

Octavia was resting her head on her hoof and leaned so far towards Vinyl that her head was on the Vinyl's side of the arm rest. The white unicorn tried to nonchalantly relax into her seat in order to get a better look at Octavia without chancing Octavia catching her staring. She looked down and smiled warmly at the pony she refused to admit she was falling quickly in love with. Octavia turned her head farther to the right to get a better look at Vinyl. She smiled, melting all the icicles in any part of Equestria or the universe.

"So, are you willing to admit I was right?"

"Eh, I guess it's not vomit- inducingly awful." Vinyl said with a smile.

Octavia playfully nudged Vinyl in the rib, which was returned with a glare. Octavia laughed and sat upright as Vinyl cursed in her head at the amount of space between the two. Ponies filed in and out of the auditorium, trying to make quick work of whatever they needed to take care of before the second act started. The soft hum of intermission small talk distracted Vinyl. But when she felt a weight gently push down on her shoulder, she froze in place, immediately snapping back to her own thoughts. Though, her thoughts sounded eerily similar to a TV that has no cable running to it.

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....

Slowly, Vinyl turned her head back towards Octavia, who was using the DJ's shoulder as a pillow. She tried to relax and keep her heart from making so much noise, but the blood pumping through her veins would not slow down even if it was promised tacos for dinner. Vinyl smiled over at Octavia, who's eyes were directed forward, and slowly inched her head all the way to the left, until her cheek was brushing against Octavia's sweet smelling mane. After a moment's hesitation she let her own weight push down on the grey mare's head. Her face was burning but the intensity lessened when she thought she saw a faint pink streak glowing across Octavia's cheeks.

"Tired?" Vinyl breathlessly whispered.

"Something like that." Octavia mumbled into Vinyl's shoulder.

Vinyl just didn't have any words.  Normally she would have a response. Right now she just wanted to savor every second she could. It was the same but different than the last time Octavia's head was on her shoulder. It was the same gorgeous, intelligent, witty, talented, sweet-smelling mare. But this time she was fully conscious of what she was doing. It wasn't a sleepy action this time. It was different. More special.

She's probably drunk. There's no way she could lay here forever. But… uh, it wouldn't hurt her to TRY…

For the next fifty two minutes and thirty seconds, Octavia did indeed try. The two leaned into each other through almost the entire second half, that is, until Vinyl looked away to wipe a stray tear or twenty from her face. As the lights came up, Octavia very slowly raised her head off of Vinyl's shoulder. She grinned sheepishly.

"So, did you enjoy it?"

Yeah, no, THAT'S not a loaded question Octy. Mares. What'reya gonna do?

"Yeah. I did. Quite a bit, actually."

Octavia and Vinyl locked eyes for a long moment. Vinyl's lips curled into a large smile, which was mimicked by Octavia. Without moving, and seemingly, without breathing, Octavia asked what they were both thinking.

"So what now?"

Vinyl paused for a long moment. There were two answers right on the tip of her tongue, hanging carelessly to her mouth. The question, like their entire conversation, was open to interpretation. Vinyl decided to play it safe.

"My place. Drinks. You game?"

Wordlessly Octavia got to her hooves and headed out the door, turning her head only once to smile at Vinyl with an affirmative answer.

------

When Vinyl was pulled out of her sleep, she refused to open her eyes. The night before was nothing if not magical. Octavia and Vinyl stayed up nearly until sunrise talking and drinking, enjoying each others company. It was the end of the night, however, that was buzzing around in Vinyl's mind.

"Hey Vinyl… could I perhaps ask a favor?"

"Whassup?"

"Well, your couch is… not the best thing I have ever slept on.  My back doesn't exactly feel great when I wake up. I was wondering if perhaps I could… um, take you up on your offer to share your bed?

And if Vinyl opened her ruby eyes and saw her bed empty, her heart would shatter knowing that she had merely dreamed it all. Fortunately for her, a muffled grunt sounded from the left side of her bed. Vinyl smiled a toothy grin and opened her eyes. Octavia's mane was all over the place. She looked as if she tossed and turned all night. But Vinyl enjoyed the look, it was careless and wild. She enjoyed the look perhaps a bit too much, as she began to get sad at the prospect of Octavia leaving the comfort of the warm bed. However, Vinyl continued to float in the river of The Nile, as she still couldn't convince herself that Octavia wanted anything more than friendship from her and therefore couldn't justify wrapping her forelegs around the cellist.

On one hoof, the two slept on opposite sides of the bed all night, only grazing each other twice. On the other hoof…

SHE IS IN YOUR BED YOU DOLT. WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT? A FREAKING INVITATION?

Despite Vinyl's conscience's advice, she lay frozen against the wall next to her bed. Octavia rolled over and smiled.

"Good Morning Vina."

"Top 'o tha mornin'."

"You're so goofy."

"It's a gift."

"What time is it?"

"Uh… one. In the afternoon."

"Shoot. I have to go meet Frederic. I promised him I'd help him pick out a present for his little sister's birthday. Besides, I shouldn't let ponies be a bad influence on me so I sleep all day."

"Oh… right… cool." Vinyl said, with a half hearted smile.

Octavia rolled out of bed. A few long minutes in the bathroom gave Octavia the appearance of a well-rested mare, ready to take on the day., or what was left of it at least. Vinyl just laid in bed the whole time, watching. Octavia gather her things. She turned to the blue mane sprawled on the bed smiling, her eyes sparkling.

"So I'll see you tonight?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Alright. Have a good day, Vinyl."

"Yeah. See ya."

Octavia walked out of the bedroom. The house was dead silent. Vinyl listened as the front door slowly opened and quietly latched itself shut. She sighed and rolled over, placing a hoof in the spot that Octavia had been laying. She caught a familiar scent and moved closer to the pillow Octavia used, confirming that she wasn't imagining smelling the cellist's mane.

"Okay, Vinyl, let's do some thinking. One on hoof, she slept on your shoulder twice, took your glasses off and wore them, and seems to be screaming at you that she wants you. On the other hoof... friggen... Frederic. She's clearly in love with this dude. But she's always HERE. And she SLEPT WITH ME last night. I mean, not slept with me but she... why in Celestia's name am I rationalizing this to myself. I was there. I know what happened. UGH! MARES! ... I said to myself as I clutched a pillow that smelled like Octavia in my forehooves. I really do have issues, don't I?"

Vinyl heard the front door quietly open and shut. She made a face and rolled her eyes.

Mornin' Bon Bon! Where's that bi-

"Hey, Vinyl? Are you still awake?"

Vinyl jumped at the sound of Octavia's voice. She flailed around a bit and quickly released the pillow in her hooves, almost jettisoning it across the room. In a flash she dug her elbow into the bed and propped her head on her hoof. She put on her best poker face and tried to play it cool. Octavia raised an eyebrow but the smile on her face said that Vinyl had been caught red-hooved.

"I was wondering... I heard that there is going to be a fantastic meteor shower tonight. What if we went?"

"What? Oh. Cool. Yeah, no, yeah that sounds cool with me."

"… Great. I'll come over after I'm done helping Frederic. Oh, and get some sleep. You look exhausted."

"Yeah, maybe if SOMEPONY didn't keep me up all night and make my pillow smell all funky..."

Octavia smiled. "I can always just sleep on the couch."

"Well, I mean, that... uh, that seems a little drastic. I mean, you DID say the couch didn't make your back feel good."

"I'll see you tonight."

With a smile that Vinyl was convinced had a meaning, Octavia turned and silently left the house. Vinyl let her head forcefully fall from her hoof to the now pillowless bed in defeat. She glared down at the pillow idling laying on the floor.

"That was all your fault."

Vinyl snatched the pillow off the floor and hugged it closely to her chest, reveling in Octavia's smell. The only thing that Vinyl could hold onto was the hope, the slim hope, that Frederic didn't mean as much to Octavia as he seemed to.

"Please don't be in love with someone else..." Was the last thing that fell out of Vinyl's lips as she drifted back to sleep.