Phoenix

“Wooooooow…”

Fireside paused on her crutches as she was helped out of Adagio’s car, attempting to take in the massiveness of the building in front of her. Sure, the other mansions around it were huge in their own rights, but this?

“You three weren’t kidding when you said our parent’s left us a literal fortune.” Fireside said as she looked back at her three sisters.

“You silly!” Sonata tittered, her ponytail bouncing gaily in time with her song like laughter. “Why would we lie to you?”

“I’d say the four of us could split the money equally and still be the richest people in town.” Aria commented as she trudged past, arms carrying various bags and suitcases of Fireside’s belongings from the hospital.

“And then some.” chuckled Adagio as she stopped beside her injured sister, resting a hand delicately on Fireside’s back. “Why don’t we get you inside? We don’t need you sick as well as crippled.”

“I’m not crippled!” Fireside shot back, glaring playfully at Adagio, which quickly changed to a rather sheepish look as a shiver ran through her body. “But maybe you’re right, let’s go.”

“Mommy-Dagio always knows best!” Sonata said between bouts of giggles, earning a glare from Adagio.

“Soooonaaataaa…” came the menacing, but surprisingly motherly, tone from Adagio as the girl walked over to the suddenly shaking Sonata, fear etched across her face. “What did Mommy say about using that nickname?”

Said girl could only give rough burbles as Adagio reached into the girl’s mouth, spreading the cheeks apart and making it impossible for the girl to form a coherent sentence. The two continued to struggle until Fireside started to laugh loudly, the pair pausing to look at the chuckling girl.

“You two are so ridiculous!” Fireside spat out between gut busting laughs of her two sisters antics. “Oh boy. I needed that, thank you, you two.”

“U-um, sure. No, er… No problem, Fireside.” Adagio said, slowly removing her digits from Sonata’s mouth, but not before wiping them on the girl’s shirt. “Why don’t we hurry up inside, I think I may be the one getting sick here.”

“After you.” Fireside said, bowing as best she could, with Sonata curtsying back before skipping ahead, Adagio motioning for Fireside to go next. The teen slowly made her way up the stairs, noticing the texture they had that helped her crutches, as well as her good leg, find solid purchase. In fact…

“They look new.” she said softly, looking back at Adagio with a warm smile. “Don’t tell me you guys went and spent money on me already.”

“Sonata insisted that we do what we could to help you with your recovery.” Adagio said, chuckling as she watched Fireside enter the house. “She forced Aria to put those on in the freezing cold the other day.”

“And she still hasn’t paid me back.” Aria grunted from her spot on a rather old, yet extremely well cared for, chesterfield near a roaring fireplace.

“Only cause you didn’t do the back yet!” came Sonata’s voice from somewhere else in the house, Fireside giggling slightly at the groan and head shaking Aria did in response.

“Welcome to the Siren’s Den.” Aria said, sliding up to her feet with practiced ease, walking forward and slinging an arm around the girl. “It’s gonna be nice havin’ ya here. Might have someone else to keep me sane with all these idiots around.”

“I do believe, Aria dear, that that is my line.” Adagio huffed slightly, resting her hands on her ample hips. “And do be careful on the girl, she is still a cripple for the next month or so.”

“I’m not a cripple, darnit!” Fireside said, leaning on her right crutch as she waved the left one at her curly haired sister.

“I’d say! You’re rather fit looking.” Aria said, giving a playful squeeze of the firm upper arm of Fireside. “When did you start working out? Er… Never mind.” Fireside noticed Adagio scowling at Aria as the girl backed off.-

“Relax, Adagio. She meant no harm.” Fireside said, smiling in hopes of placating the obvious alpha of the house.

“Especially cause otherwise she wouldn’t have gotten any hot chocolate!” Sonata sang aloud as she entered the room, hands balancing a large tray filled with a variety of different cups, steam rising lazily from the tops. She set it down on the large table in the middle of the room, moving and placing the mugs with practiced ease. “Come and get it!”

Aria shot over to the table, grabbing her stein and instantly starting to quaff the contents noisily, earning a disgusted groan from Adagio as she walked towards the table.

“As you can see, this is why it is hard for us to have nice things in this household.” she informed, carefully grabbing her delicate looking teacup and slowly moving over to what Fireside guessed was her bergère, taking a seat and starting to slowly take measured sips of the hot chocolate.

“Say whatever you two want, but this is the single greatest thing ever!” Sonata shouted loudly as she held aloft what looked to be a sippy cup? Whatever it was, there was a massive collection of looping straws leading out of it and to the smiling girl’s mouth as she happily slurped up her hot chocolate, contently nestled in her bean bag chair.

Fireside smiled once again as she made her way over towards the group of her sisters, each of them enjoying their drinks in their own manner. She stopped just before the table and positioned herself, before reaching down and grabbing the nondescript white mug, her smile widening as she brought it up to her face.

She stopped once it was close to her mouth, taking a moment to enjoy the pleasant fragrance of the hot chocolate, before bringing it carefully to her mouth, not wanting to spill the precious drink, nor force more of it into her mouth than she needed.

“This is delicious!” Fireside said aloud as she took the mug away from her face, but only for a moment before she took yet another gulp. “Seriously, Sonata, this is amazing! I know I don’t have much to base it off of, but this is the best thing I’ve had since I can remember!”

“If you think that is good, just you wait until tonight! I’m whipping up my special supper for the four of us!” the light blue girl beamed joyously, even as Aria and Adagio groaned loudly, Aria mixing in curses.

“Oh? What’s that?” Fireside inquired, only to notice the look of dread she was getting from Adagio, and the shaking head of Aria.

“Tacos!”

***

“So, the reason I’m sleeping on Sonata’s bed instead of her…” Fireside started, looking at what she could only describe as a princess bed. Four ornate posts rose up from the corners, delicate sheets running along the beams running between the posts. A large, plush mattress raised up from the frame, a collection of adorable plushies and pillows littered the top.

“Is because she wanted to have a “sleepover” with you while the paint in your room finishes aerating properly.” Aria said, scratching the back of her head. Her hair was fully down now, running down her back most likely, though the large shirt emblazoned with a flaming, bleeding skull and some band name dominated Fireside’s gaze.

“Gotcha.” she said, nodding her head. She slowly made her way over to the bed and flipped the sheets over, revealing the silken sheets beneath.

“Anyways, I should go hit the hay. Night.” Aria said, yawning loudly.

“Good night, Aria!” Fireside waved warmly at her departing sister, before slowly moving and bringing herself to be seated on the edge of the bed, sinking into the plush embrace. She sighed happily, this was so much comfier than the hospital bed.

“This is gonna be so awesome!” Sonata shouted as she burst into the room, fluffy slippers gliding across the hardwood floor. “I haven’t had a sleepover in decades!” Fireside giggled as the girl crashed happily into her weird amalgamation of beanbags and sheets that was supposed to be her bed for the night.

“Decades?” she said, giggling uncontrollably. “We’re only eighteen, Sonata.”

“Oh, right! Well my point still stands! The amount of years it’s been since my last sleepover is too damn high!” Sonata raised her hand up, pointer finger raised, before collapsing in a giggling mess on her bed. “Oh! I almost forgot! Snoodles!”

“Snoodles?” Fireside watched as Sonata shot to her feet and was to one of the various other doors in the room in a flash, opening it and entering. Rummaging sounds could be heard from within, followed by Sonata’s voice.

“Promise not to scream or anything?” she asked softly. Fireside could see Sonata’s shadow hiding just out of view, something being held in her arms.

“Um, sure? What do you have there?”

“Snoodles!” Sonata said proudly, coming out in bounding skips and stopping and thrusting her arms towards Fireside. “Isn’t he just adorable!”

A snake lazily flicked its tongue out towards, its large, intelligent eyes studying the stationary girl right before it. It was small, but long, almost like a noodle. The name suddenly clicked as Fireside slowly held a hand out towards it, palm up to allow to to get used to her. Its tongue continued to flick out as its gaze followed her hand intently.

“See, Snoodles! I told you she was a friend.” Sonata cooed adorably to her pet, rubbing against it affectionately with her face. “Wanna hold him? He won’t bite!”

“Um, sure?” Fireside said, holding out her hand. “But I don’t really think he will fit well- eek!”

Fireside froze as the snake went from slowly slithering onto her hand to a blistering pace as it shot up her arm and into her sleeve.

“Getitoutgetitoutgetitoutgetitout!” Fireside screeched as she felt the snake slither across her body. Sonata rushed forward, hands fumbling along trying to grab hold of the snake through the cloth.

“Snoodles! What did I tell you about doing things like this?” Sonata said, hands moving to enter Fireside’s shirt from the bottom hem.

Snoodles picked that moment to somehow find a way to slither itself around Fireside and up between the girl’s large breasts, popping his head lazily onto one of the mounds.

“S-Sonata…” Fireside said through chattering teeth, locking eyes with the creature resting on her bust. It seemed to wink and put on a knowing smile before it felt Sonata’s hands grasp it and start to slide it down the toned, amber stomach of Fireside.

“There we go.” Sonata’s hands cupped in front of her as Snoodles moved and wrapped itself on the pale blue hands like a spring, it’s head held up high as the teen’s plush lips connected with its mouth. “Silly Snoodles!”

“That snake is such a pervert!” Fireside half whispered, half screamed, as she pointed an accusatory finger in its direction.

“Naw, he was just being friendly!” Sonata cooed as she started walking back to what was probably the snake’s den, making baby talk the whole time.

“So, um… now that that is out of the way, I have a question, Sonata.” Fireside shifted around to look at the girl laying down on her mixture of pillows and beanbag. “I, uh… I don’t feel right forcing you to sleep on the floor, and we are sisters… so… you’re more than welcome to share your bed with me, it is pretty massive after all.”

Fireside could barely finish her question before Sonata gave a happy squeal and hopped up from the floor to deliver a massive hug to the injured girl.

“Abso-dutley-lutely!” she cried as she squeezed Fireside affectionately, wind rushing to vacate her lungs from her sister’s embrace.

Just two sisters, sharing a bed… What could possibly go wrong? Fireside thought as she tried to free herself.

***

“Dangit Aria! Gimmie that phone!”

“Sorry, Fire! That photo is too adorable to get rid of!”

Adagio both sighed and groaned as her palm ran into her face as she was forced to watch Aria play keep away around the sofa in the living room thanks to being more mobile than the cast wearing Fireside.

“Um… What’s going on?” Adagio turned to look at Sonata, the girl stretching as she made her way into the room, yawning loudly. Adagio’s face fell as she realized where the photo on Aria’s phone had come from.

“Sonata? Where is your shirt?” Adagio didn’t know why she asked the topless girl about her state of undress, but she had nothing else to say given the current situation.

“Hm? My shirt?” replied Sonata, finally finished yawning and stretching her arms only to rest them on her hips.

“Lookin’ good Sonny!” Aria catcalled from the other side of the room, causing her pursuer to stop and try to see what her prey was talking about, only to gasp and blush brightly as she noticed Sonata’s bare bust on proud display.

“S-Sonata! Where’s your shirt!?” she stammered out, completely losing track of Aria as she tried to admonish the girl.

“My shirt?” the girl looked down, taking in her scantily clad state of loose pajama bottoms resting low enough on her hips to show off the straps of her underwear before looking up at the stunned Fireside. “What about it?”

“Why aren’t you wearing one!?” Fireside tried to steady herself on her crutches, watching as her sister gave a nonchalant shrug in response.

“You know, I can’t blame you for wanting to get close to those.” came Aria’s surprisingly smooth whisper from behind Fireside, causing the girl to give a small shriek as she stumbled forward.

“A-Aria! Dangit, stop! I can’t believe you! She’s our sister for god’s sake!”

“Say’s the one motor boating her in their sleep.” Aria jeered, flashing her phone forward and causing Fireside to blush deeper at the image on the front, the pixels revealing a sleeping Fireside’s face smothered by Sonata’s generous bust, a light blue arm resting warmly on the fire and golden locks.

“Dangit Aria!” came Fireside’s annoyed shout as she started to trundle after the chuckling girl again.

Adagio both sighed and groaned as her palm ran once more into her face.

***

“Alright, hold that steady…” Aria muttered through chapped lipped, her gaze flashing up to Fireside for a moment only to return to her previous steely glare as oily hands gripped a large steel wrench.

“Are you sure you should be having the obviously injured one helping you with maintenance of your motorbike?” inquired Fireside as she shifted her stance somewhat, flashlight delicately held in the direction to illuminate whatever part Aria was focusing on.

“Well with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum out shopping for clothes for you, I needed a second pair of hands, but seeing as all I got is you, I figure this will have to do.” Aria quipped, giving a snarky grin as her eye’s once again shot up to Fireside, only for her to fly backwards with a cry as blinding light shot into her face from Fireside’s flashlight.

“So this is the thanks I receive for managing to make my way not only down the half decayed stairs, but through this mess of a place you call a garage, huh?” Fireside said, continuing to hold the light towards her staggering sister’s face, as if trying to blind her lecherous kin.

“Gah! Stop! I’m sorry, alright! Just get the high beam out of my eyes!” Arai begged, swatting her hands uselessly towards the chuckling Fireside.

“Fiiiine…” Fireside relented, clicking off the flashlight, much to the happy sigh of Aria, who got back onto her knees and grinned up at the injured girl.

“I bet you’d rather be shoulders deep in Sonat- auuugh!”

The high beam instantly clicked back on.

***

“So this is the button for light attack, this one for-”

“Sonata,” Fireside said as she interjected her energetic sister. “This is the fourth time you’ve started to explain this, I think I get it by now.”

“If you’re sure?” Sonata said, tilting her head adorably towards her sister, her left hand holding onto the respective half of the controller shared between their two grasps.

“But why did you think that two people playing a fighting game on one controller is a good idea?”

“Who said anything about good?” Sonata beamed as she looked back at Fireside, as if the girl had said the most obviously silly comment in their entire lives. “This is all about fun, silly!”

“Are you sure I’m not gonna hold you back? I mean, you seem to know this game pretty good.” Fireside looked at the strange bouncing collection of pixels on the screen that made up their supposed fighter character.

“Like I said, don’t worry! Video games are all about fun! That’s why they were made in the first place, Fire!” Sonata said cheerfully, wrapping her arm awkwardly around Fireside. “And after the state you and Aria were in when we got back, I thought you needed some nice relaxing fun!”

“Aria totally deserved the temporary oil tattoo that she got…” Fireside grumbled, huffing annoyedly.

“Regardless! All you need to do right now is hit that button that matches the screen, and we can begin!”

“If you’re sure…” Fireside said softly, thumb depressing the matching button from the screen hesitantly.

***

“I swear, in all my years, I have never seen that girl so happy.” grouched Adagio, staring at the napping ponytail wearing girl on the sofa. “And that’s saying something.”

“Well, she did indeed have a lot of fun…” Fireside said, rubbing the left side of her body delicately. “Though my ribs would like a break from the constant hug attacks of bone-crushing power.” Adagio chuckled in a grim, knowing manner, her legs resting delicately on her ottoman.

“I don’t think that can or will ever change.” she responded as she took a sip from her teacup, squinting her eyes and scrunching up her shoulders as the sound of wood on wood screeching could be heard from upstairs.

“You girls didn’t have to buy me such a fancy bed, you know. I understand that we are loaded, and judging by everything I’ve seen so far I believe it, but I don’t need much, really!” Fireside said meekly from her glass of water.

“Oh dear, frugal, Fireside. Ever the responsible one.” Adagio said with a playful smirk. “You always were harping on us to do the right thing, never to spend more than we had to and was the first to rush to help us if we ever had any problems.”

Fireside chuckled nervously as she rubbed the back of her head, eyes diverting away from her quadruplet sister. She took another sip of cold, crisp water, relishing in the purity of it and watching as ripples and other movements occurred due to her unsteady hands.

“Um…” Fireside started, before mumbling something out incoherently.

“You’re going to need to speak clearer, darling.” Adagio snarked politely, before cringing as another screech rang out from upstairs. “Especially if Aria is going to destroy my fresh maple floors like that.”

“Um… Mom and Dad… What were they like?”

Adagio froze, not noticing as Fireside gazed at her intently, her own magenta eyes staring blankly at the roof. Moments passed, the hourglass of finality continuing it’s unending course as Adagio slowly closed her eyes, bringing her head down to start studying her teacup closely.

“I… I understand if you don’t feel right talking about them right now, and I am sorry if I caused you to remember bad memories… I really am so-” Fireside apologized profusely, only to be cut off from an extremely heavy sigh from her sister, who suddenly appeared as if she carried millennia of exhaustion on her shoulders.

“They were great people… Don’t know what to say really, Fire… They were a hell of a pair of people. They’d be proud of everything you’ve accomplished…”

Fireside watched quietly as Adagio finished talking, bringing her teacup up to her lips slowly, draining the last remaining remnants of fluid within, but her empty gaze remained locked on her lap.

“Thank you…” Fireside said softly, wishing she could walk over and embrace her sister, cursing her injuries for crippling her so much.

“No… Thank you…”