Winter Blues

I own nothing but my own thoughts.

"Speech"

'Thought'

Narration

The Sun still burns.

"Why yes, it was a wonderful evening." The earth pony smiled curtly as she inched her way into the open doorframe.

"I'm glad you enjoyed." The tall pegasus kept her gaze, leaning his face towards hers. "The Red Rose Gardens are one of the most exclusive fine dining establishments in all of Equestria."

"Yes. Yes, it is." Of course Octavia had known the wondrous cuisine of The Red Rose. She had been there one more than one occasion through various organizations who had wished to show their gratitude for lucrative fundraisers and elegant Balls. Of course he didn't know that. He hadn't bothered to learn much of anything about the accomplished cellist besides her pedigree and annual income. In truth, Octavia realized that she was no better. By the end of first course she had already forgotten his name and established a pattern of nodding or gasping as he prattled on about the grand adventure that was his privileged life. "But it is rather frigid out. I should be off to bed."

"Is that so?" She almost face-hooved herself for walking right into such an obvious innuendo. He made a move to dash into her apartment.

Octavia was half a step quicker, rapidly slamming the door in his face and locking it in one swift motion. "Thank you again for a nice time." She called into the wooden structure, adding under her breath, "And understanding personal boundaries." A moment of sure-fire panic rocked her core as he seemed to be deciding whether this was a joke or if she really wasn't going to 'pay him back' for dinner. The grey pony had wanted to go Dutch but begrudgingly accepted being treated for the meal, if only to stop him from spreading his bravado of his chivalry to anyone who was within earshot. Hearing hoof beats wander off in disappointment, she was finally able to let out a sigh and relax.

"Rough night, Octi? Wasn't sure if you'd be back or not." Octavia glared up at her roommate grinning devilishly from her perch on the couch. Stifling another sigh, she pulled off her scarf to hang on the nearby hooks. She used that time to count to ten in the hopes of restoring her composure. There were rare occasions when a bad day mixed with the DJ's lax attitude could leave her counting for hours. Octavia prayed this was not one of those times. "Course you coulda showed up here. I'd be outta here like a flame in the breeze once I'da known he wasn't a creep or nothin."

A tint of red plastered the young cellist's cheeks. "You know that I'm not that sort of mare, Vinyl. Not everypony is interested in such uncouth behavior after their first intimate encounter. And would you please stop calling me that."

"Whatever you say, Tavi." Octavia silently seethed as she made her way into the kitchen. "He seemed pretty interested in your 'intimate encounter.'"

'Tea.' Octavia thought desperately to herself as she began looking for her kettle. 'All I need is a good cup of tea to forget this entire miserable affair.' The grey pony took a moment to consider when her life had gone so wrong. Her childhood years were spent in the tireless pursuit of music. Day in and day out there was no one but her cello and an almost endless parade of tutors. Of course there would be the occasional social event. What good are musical skills without exposure or networking? She could hardly take two steps into a hall before her parents would start bragging about her accomplishments. Almost without warning, a polite banter would bring her to the stage. It was a good life. She loved getting lost in the spellbinding magic of harmony and melody melting together in the perfect aesthetic fusion. Opening a fifth empty cabinet, the grey musician's already strained composure was reaching a crescendo. Her parent's house had been rather expansive and never had a hair out of place. Her choice to move out was one of the first real decisions that she had ever made on her own. Of course the life of a musician was a variable of paydays, which is why she courteously declined every request to live with any of her colleagues. Choosing a pony with a stable income would be a much more intellectual move. She was browsing housing notices at the local community center when Fate intervened in an electric-blue flash. Instead of finding a responsible banker or lawyer, she had ended up living with another starving artist. Worse yet, the cellist realized that she had spent two years living with Vinyl Scratch without once thinking of leaving.

Octavia's face flashed a deep red. Every. Last. Cupboard. Was. Bare. A hoarse scream was preparing to rise up in her throat as a voice rang out from the living room. "If you're lookin for your stuff, it's already set up on the stove."

Whipping around to find the purple kettle resting on a burner and her herbs and the last clean cup on the nearby counter deflated her anger in a nanosecond. "Th-thank you, Vinyl." The earth pony switched on the burner. She supposed that her erratic roommate did have her better moments. The first day they had met was during a victory celebration held after one catastrophe or another. It had been a joint affair held in separate parts of the royal palace for ponies of various…tastes. A few of the royal guards say the most entertainment came from the luncheon the day before the party. Orchestral ponies and DJ ponies alike were all gathered in the same room and forced to share a table together. Octavia had been placed at the very edge of 'string territory' and was seated right next to the white unicorn who looked as though she just rolled out of bed. Needless to say, three cups of coffee had loosened the cobwebs of her mind. As she realized she was sitting by someone new, her naturally social nature kicked in. Octavia's various attempts to cold shoulder the Queen of the Turntables were eventually snuffed out by Vinyl's natural charisma, like ice near an open flame. It was the first of many coincidental run-ins that all ended in the same result: Octavia had fun. No matter how much the classical musician refused to show it, she felt the tremors of excitement for the first time without a bow in her hooves.

The shrill whistle of the kettle brought her mind back down to reality. "Would you like a cup?" She asked meekly.

"Naw." Vinyl yawned from the couch. "I got a gig in a bit. You know that stuff puts me to sleep."

"Would you like any of your energy drinks from the refrigerator then?"

"You're the best, Tavi." Octavia ignored the nickname but still retrieved one of the long bottles from the fridge. Balancing the cup under her chin, she bit the bottle and carefully walked back to the living room.

A blue glow accepted the bottle and gave Octavia relief from the chill on her neck. She sat down next to Vinyl only to find her watching grey and black fuzz dancing across the television screen. "Cable bill?" She sighed defeated.

"Yeeeeup." Vinyl took a long swallow from her drink while Octavia sipped hers. "But, hey, no sweat. After tonight, we'll have the rest of the rent and maybe some bits for groceries."

The satisfying feeling of a full stomach was suddenly replaced by hollow guilt. "It's the slow time of year for orchestras but I have been asked to play for a private party next month."

"See? Life works out." The unicorn smirked. "Say ya didn't bring home a doggie bag did ya?"

The earth pony turned away from her drooling companion. "I did not." The smirk turned into a frown. "I am afraid such practices are looked down upon. I'm sorry."

"Hey, no worries. It's cool. I can grab something at the club. So what happens to the leftovers?"

"I believe they, um, discard them."

"What?! Like in the trash? Man, some ponies are fickle." Octavia pushed away her cup. Her once sweet tea almost tasted like ashes on her tongue. Vinyl immediately noticed her folly. "Not you, Octi. You're an A-ok mare in my book. Even if you only like stuck up food."

The cellist allowed herself a small smile. "We all cannot live on takeout food and energy cider."

"It's a curse." They both sat in a comfortable silence while the TV continued buzzing like an impromptu fireplace. Of course such stillness never lasted long around Vinyl Scratch, especially with an energy cider coursing through her veins. "So where'd you meet Prince All-Hooves?"

"Online." Octavia finally sighed. Vinyl nearly spit out her drink while cackling. "My spare time is so sparse that it was recommended to me through a violinist. He said that it was working out for him with his busy schedule."

The white pony raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't you just ask him out?"

"I…" She sat staring slack jawed at her roommate for a moment. "I never considered that." Vinyl's only response was to get up from the couch shaking her head and go to the kitchen to refill their drinks. Octavia stared at the snowy screen. It wasn't a complete lie. She avoided romantic conflict with anyone she performed with on a regular basis. Everypony knew that an awkward tension from a failed relationship could affect the entire orchestra. Her parents would occasionally ask about meeting a good stallion but they were more excited to hear that she was concentrating on her career. Again, that wasn't a complete lie. She had often felt the bitter sting of loneliness in hear heart. She could never fully remember why but, at some point during her early years, a serious discussion with her mother had left her crippled with any feeling of actual romance. She had heard the stories of fireworks and true love conquering all, who hadn't? But she supposed that those feeling just didn't apply to her. Sporadically her parents would introduce her to a handsome young stallion. He could have money, success or influence but the connection she had longed for was never there. The DJ returned using her magic to carry the cup and bottle to the coffee table in front of them. She uncorked her drink and took a long swallow. Octavia impatiently waited for the DJ's sarcastic response but the unicorn simply gazed forward. "What?" Vinyl took another gulp. "What?" The tangled mass of blue hair shook back and forth. Octavia grabbed her shoulders and turned her face towards hers. "Vinyl Scratch, what is going on in that ever-wubbing brain of yours?"

Vinyl's normally carefree face was contorted into a mask of seriousness. Octavia had almost found herself being magnetically drawn to it before she let out a loud belch. The grey pony immediately drew back to her side of the couch, waving a hoof over her nose. "You're a weird one. You gotta work on that whole 'What's standin right in front of ya' problem."

"I'm the weird one?" Octavia gasped with sincere surprise.

"Yea. I mean did ya even like that stallion?"

"Well…he seemed very…" Vinyl made a circle with her hoof. "He was a very couth individual."

"Liiiiike when he tried to jump in the sack with you?"

The cellist turned away. "Well he did have a great deal more wine then myself. And he did treat me to a very expensive dinner."

It was the unicorn's turn to grab her friend's shoulders. "That. Does NOT. Give him permission to act like a timber wolf in heat." The downside of Vinyl's glasses was that anyone who had been trained to maintain constant eye-contact during a conversation were forced to look back at themselves. It was one of the unicorn's traits that the earth pony actually hated. It was like a pony would only be having half a conversation. They said the eyes were the windows to the soul and Vinyl's was locked behind a violet curtain. She often wondered if her eyes actually matched her 'cool' exterior or if her sunglasses were merely a mask of the mare's true self. Octavia was not fond of her reflection at the moment. It almost felt as though she had to look into her own soul. She averted her eyes. "Is that really the kind of jerk your parents want ya to settle down with?"

"Well…perhaps not him specifically but someone of his status, yes."

"I guess, but what do you want?"

"What I want is a kind gentlepony. Preferably with a steady income and an appreciation of the fine arts." Vinyl continued giving her dubious stare. "Not everypony is able to find satisfaction with random strangers."

"Ouch." The earth pony immediately apologized but Vinyl was too busy snickering. "Ya got me there, Tavi. I don't like makin a habit of it but, yeah, I do need some company every now and then. I'd like to find love as much as you but ya can't be in the game if you're not willin to step on the field."

Octavia finally returned her smirk with a sour look. "Are you suggesting I need coitus in order to relive my stress?"

"If by that you mean 'get laid,' then yes."

"With the likes of him?"

The unicorn looked away and used her magic to bring the empty bottle to her lips. "Nah, not with a creep or anypony randomly. I mean with somepony special, that ya can connect with. Even a little bit. You know what I'm sayin?"

Octavia deflated a bit. "I do. But it just wouldn't be proper." She got the impression Vinyl was rolling her eyes under her sunglasses. "And besides, I have a bit of a problem with intimacy." Vinyl excitedly shot up in her seat. "Emotional and social intimacy. I simply cannot find a stallion I can connect with." Vinyl slumped back into the cushions in disappointment.

"Sounds to me like ya just haven't met the right stallion yet." Octavia brought the cup back up to her lips. "Have ya ever tried fiddin a filly?" She spit her tea across the room, making the television shoot out sparks before it finally went off. The grey pony went into a coughing fit while Vinyl started cackling. "That's one way ta solve our cable problem. Nothin good on anyways."

"Vinyl Scratch! You know that I find such terminology offensive on many levels!"

The DJ seemed generally amused at Octavia's blush. She always loved seeing how red she could make her grey roommate go. "And what would those be, Octi?"

"Of course you know my love and respect for the violin."

"Course. Go on."

"Secondly, I happen to be as straight as a bow."

The two stared seriously at one another for a moment before the unicorn asked a simple question with general curiosity. "Aren't all bows a little curved?"

"That's not the point, Vinyl."

What Vinyl did then was truly astonishing: she took off her shades to reveal her ruby eyes. They weren't the confident glare that Octavia was expecting, but were wide and shimmering with concern. "Course it is. Everything you do seems to be more bout your parents then you. Have ya ever considered you can't find the right stallion cuz you should be lookin for a mare?"

"I…I…" Octavia's mind went blank for a moment. She retreated back to her fillyhood. The one memory that she had suppressed for so many years was finally breaking through her subconscious. She had only been four at the time when a few of her friends had decided to sneak off to explore the mansion of the ponies hosting the extravagant party. They found a small medical room and began to play 'doctor.' Their parents had soon discovered them and were 'disappointed' at their juvenile behavior. The real problem arose when they found out that Octavia had been 'examining' another filly. He mother slapped her across the face and locked her in her room for a week. By the time she had regained her senses, she realized that she hadn't drifted off because of the revelation of her past trauma. She was on cloud nine because she and Vinyl Scratch, the Vinyl Scratch, no, her Vinyl Scratch were engaged in the sincerest kiss that she had ever experienced. "W-wait." She tried to weakly protest.

"Oh, no." Vinyl growled as she pushed Octavia on her back to straddle her. "I've waited too long for this." Octavia found Vinyl's lips once again crashing against her own. The sensation was just was breathtaking but, at least this time, she was able to stay conscious throughout the entire experience. She tasted like the sour apples that were used to make up her favorite energy cider. After a few minutes that the grey mare mistook for an eternity in paradise, the two musicians broke away in desperate need of air. "I want ya to know, Octavia." Vinyl began as they both panted for precious oxygen. "That ya aren't just a one-night stand to me."

Octavia leaned in, desperately hungry for sour apples. She stopped at the last moment and nuzzled her face into Vinyl's shoulder. "What about my parents? They'll never approve."

"Hey." The white mare lifted Octavia's chin up with her hoof. "What's the worst they can do? Throw ya out and for ya to live in a crappy apartment with no money?"

The earth pony allowed herself to smile. "I guess that would be the worst of it."

"Great." Vinyl grinned wickedly as she jumped off the couch. Using her magic, Octavia's bowtie glowed blue and began pulling her towards her bedroom.

"What about your, um, 'gig?'"

"Oh, that." Vinyl rubbed her neck sheepishly. "I lied bout it. I didn't want to worry ya, so I was just gonna wait til you went to bed first." Octavia suppressed a sigh. Things were far from perfect, but at least she was happy.