Like many recent nights spent at her girlfriend’s home, Sunset Shimmer found herself staring at the ceiling waiting for sleep to finally come. Beside her was Adagio Dazzle, naked and sleeping soundly with her back to Sunset. It was a sight Sunset had become increasingly more familiar with in recent months.
A long exhale escaped her and Sunset slipped out of bed and back into her clothes. Once again, sleep would not come easily. She bit back a derisive laugh when she realized that she had something in common with sleep as she crept out.
Not that it mattered, though. Sunset loved Adagio. Things had just hit a rough patch in the last sixish months. It would clear up soon, she told herself. It’s not like Adagio was still blaming Sunset for the failed attempts at restoring her voice. She was just frustrated.
Sunset shook the thoughts from her head and threw her leg over her motorcycle, allowing herself one last glance up at the bedroom window before the engine roared to life and she drove home.
***
“Dump her.”
“Rainbow Dash,” Rarity admonished. “you can’t say things like that!”
“What? We’re all thinking it. I’m just the first one to say it.” Rainbow Dash folded her arms in front of her. “AJ, tell me I’m right.”
The group had decided to meet at Applejack’s farm, using a mostly abandoned barn for practice since the school wasn’t an option anymore. Sunset was grateful for the new setting, however. It was one of the few places Adagio wouldn’t go to drag her off to chase another long shot magical remedy.
Unfortunately, it also allowed her friends to speak freely when she needed to vent.
“You’re wrong.” Applejack shot back, not looking up from the bass she was tuning.
“You just like arguing.” Dash stuck her tongue out at Applejack before turning to the rest of her friends. “Pinkie, Fluttershy, you’re thinking it too, right?”
The other girls found a sudden interest in their instruments as well, choosing not to answer the question.
“Oh, come on!” Dash threw her hands in the air and finally turned her attention back to Sunset, who had yet to take her guitar out for band practice. “You can’t seriously think you should stick with her after all this time?”
Sunset was silent for a moment. “I dunno, Dash. I mean, it is kind of our fault she can’t talk anymore. And it’s not like she’s got anyone else since Aria got arrested and Sonata went… wherever Sonata went.”
“So that means you should suck it up and do whatever she says?” Dash scowled. “Look, Sunset, you’ve been helping Adagio for like two years now and nothing’s changed. She just gets more and more… Siren-y the longer you two stick together.” Her expression softened a bit. “I’m seriously worried about you. And even if they aren’t saying it I know everyone else here is too.”
Sunset glanced at the rest of her friends, who all wore expressions of varying agreement. "You guys, too?"
"Um, for what it's worth, I think it's wonderful that you're still trying to help Adagio." Fluttershy chimed in.
"Yeah!" Pinkie said, popping up a little too close to Sunset for someone who was trying to respect personal space, "Adagio can be a bit grumpy sometimes, but she's still a neat person-slash-fish thing."
"When do you spend time with her?" Sunset asked as she took a step away from her pink friend.
"We hang out all the time. I thought you knew?" Pinkie's head cocked sideways as her tone grew curious.
"No, she doesn't really tell me what she does on her own." Sunset's brow furrowed.
"I do hate to be the pessimist in the room, but what do you and Adagio talk about, darling?" Rarity stepped forward and gently nudged Pinkie away.
"You know..." Sunset fumbled for the right words, "couple stuff. Where we're going out and stuff."
Rarity looked visibly disappointed. "That's it?" She clapped a dainty hand over her mouth and gasped. "Sorry, darling, I didn't mean it like that."
"What Rares is tryin' to say is 'how come you two don't talk about real stuff," Applejack interrupted, "dreams and plans for the future and things like that."
Sunset shrugged. "Never really came up."
Applejack sighed. "Sunset, you're probably one of the smartest people I know, but sometimes you're thicker than frozen molasses. Instead of talking to us about what's wrong, maybe you should just talk to your gal pal—get both your heads on straight."
Sunset blushed, much to her own frustration. "You think it's that easy?"
"Can't be worse than frettin' and fussing about it with us, can it?" Applejack laid a hand on Sunset's shoulder. "Not that we mind listening, of course."
Warmth bubbled up in Sunset's chest. "You know what? You're right. I should talk to Adagio after practice."
Rainbow Dash scoffed from her spot next to her guitar amp. "Might as well go now. Twilight flaked on us." She held up her phone for emphasis.
Sunset glanced at the others, who smiled back at her.
“What are you waiting for, darling? Go to her.” Rarity playfully shooed Sunset towards the door.
“Thanks guys. Next time we hit the Sweet Shoppe, milkshakes are on me.” Sunset grinned at her friends and made for the exit. Pinkie’s cheers followed her out of the barn.
***
Sunset stood at Adagio's door with two coffees balanced on a tray in one arm and the other poised to knock when the door opened.
"Uh, hey," Sunset smiled at a surprised Adagio, "I thought I could surprise you with some coffee. Practice ended early."
Adagio stepped aside and Sunset entered, setting the coffee on the kitchen counter.
"What's up?" Sunset didn't hear Adagio's question so much as feel it.
"Just thought we could hang out a bit. It's been a while since we had a night in." Sunset tossed her jacket over a chair and grinned. "I was thinking we could order some take-out, stream a crappy movie. What do you say?"
Adagio paused for a moment before nodding and heading back to her bedroom.
"I'll order the food. Pizza okay?" Sunset called after her.
Adagio stuck a thumb up through the door before closing it behind her.
Once Sunset had finished calling the pizza place, she let herself flop down on Adagio's couch and scrolled through Shetflix until she found a horror movie of suitable b-rate quality to watch.
By the time she'd queued up the movie, Adagio had returned wearing nothing but an oversized tee shirt.
Adagio eyed her curiously as she took a seat next to Sunset.
"What's going on? You don't usually show up unannounced." Once again, Sunset felt the question in the back of her mind.
"No reason." Sunset fingered the magical geode hanging from her neck, the source of her ability to hear Adagio's thoughts. "I just figured it's been a while since we had a night in that wasn't for more, uh, intimate reasons."
Sunset fought back the heat in her cheeks as best she could, but knew she'd lost that battle when Adagio smirked at her.
"You know, you don't have to be so smug about me getting embarrassed about sex talk. I grew up in a world of magical ponies where 'peeved' is still a bad word."
Sunset felt herself scowl as the word prudes needled her thoughts.
Adagio must have seen it, because her smile vanished and she motioned for Sunset to start the movie.
Sunset obliged, letting herself settle into the cushion as the movie started its weak exposition. She kept Adagio in the corner of her eye, watching the redhead as the girl made herself comfortable.
Truth be told, she wanted to know what Adagio was thinking about, but her geode didn't give her any sort of insight on that. After two years, Adagio had learned how to keep her thoughts guarded, only letting Sunset hear what she wanted her to hear.
"So," Sunset said over the movie, "I was thinking about going back to school in the winter—maybe taking some art classes."
Adagio gave an absent nod, her eyes glued to the screen as the movie's monster claimed its first victim.
"What do you think?" Sunset pushed the subject a little.
A shrug was all she got in response.
"Twilight was saying that Appleoosa University has a really good art program. I sent in an application earlier this week." Sunset continued, "I'd probably have to move down there if I got accepted, though."
Adagio glared at Sunset, and for a brief moment she thought the siren would be angry at the news.
Instead, Adagio brought a finger to her lips to silently shush Sunset.
"Oh," Sunset's heart sank, "maybe after the movie."
She didn't say another word until the doorbell rang some time later, when Adagio started at her until a defeated sigh escaped Sunset.
"I got it."
Sunset strode down the hall to the front door and paid the pizza guy, giving the poor kid as generous a tip as she could. No reason for both of them to be disappointed tonight.
She deposited the pizza on the kitchen counter and helped herself to a slice as she lingered there, working herself up to returning to the movie.
Instead of heading back to Adagio, she booted her phone from her jacket pocket and sent a hasty text to Twilight.
'You busy?'
Twilight's reply came quicker than she expected.
'Just got off work. What's up?'
Sunset stared at her phone, unable to put what was bothering her into words. In some strange way, it felt like some kind of betrayal to be texting Twilight when Adagio was in the next room.
Maybe it was her being silly. Maybe Sunset was just imagining the coldness Adagio seemed to be giving off. Couples didn't have to sit together and talk every time they didn't give together, right? Maybe it was enough to just be together in the same room.
Sunset took a deep breath and exhaled. She was definitely overthinking this.
She quickly slapped a slice of pizza on a plate for Adagio and returned to the living room, where the siren hadn't moved.
After a few minutes of silent eating Sunset found herself paying more attention to Adagio than the movie, constantly glancing over to see what the other girl was doing.
If Adagio noticed Sunset watching her she didn't show it. The only movement she made other than chewing was to pull her hand away when Sunset tried taking it in her own.
"I gotta use the bathroom," Sunset announced, blinking moisture from the corners of her eyes as she stood and left as quickly as she could.
Once she'd reached the bathroom and locked the door behind her, Sunset fished her phone out of her pocket and shot another text to Twilight.
'What am I doing?'
Sunset sat on the edge of the tub and watched her phone intently until it buzzed with Twilight's answer.
'What do you mean?'
'I mean with Adagio'
'What am I supposed to do?'
'I feel like things have changed. We changed. Or she did, or maybe it's me. We just don't seem to click anymore and I don't know how to fix it.'
Sunset was rapid firing texts to Twilight, desperate for some advice or validation that things weren't just in her head.
It felt like an eternity had passed before Twilight answered.
'Do what makes you happy.'
"Thanks a million, Twilight," Sunset grumbled at her phone before shoving it back into her pocket and checking her face in the mirror.
No tears had escaped Sunset during her time in the bathroom. That was something, at least.
Sunset took what felt like her thousandth deep breath of the night and steeled herself for what she was about to do. She matched her way back to the living room and snatched up the tv remote, pausing the movie and ignoring Adagio's silent protests.
"I think we need to talk." Sunset said with a bit more force than she'd intended.
Adagio raised an eyebrow at her.
"I want to start taking some college art classes—"
Adagio nodded and reached for the remote, only for Sunset to pull it out of reach.
"—and must of the schools I've been applying to are out of town."
Adagio's expression shifted from one of mild annoyance to surprise.
"I was hoping we could talk about what would happen if I got accepted into one of the schools—to us, I mean."
"Nothing."
The thought felt curt to Sunset, like that was all that needed to be said on the matter.
A scowl settled on Sunset's features. "I feel like something would change. I'd be moving out of Canterlot City if I got accepted."
"How would you help me then?"
Something about Adagio's response hurt. Like someone had jammed something sharp deep into Sunset's chest and twisted.
Adagio must have sensed how Sunset felt, because she stood and wrapped her arms around Sunset's neck.
"We have time to think about that later."
Sunset wasn't entirely sure if the thought was Adagio's or her own.
"I feel like we should talk about it now, though." Sunset pulled back a bit, but Adagio made it difficult to escape completely. "This is important stuff, and it feels like every time I bring up something big like this, it devolves into sex before we actually discuss it."
A gentle kiss to the crook of Sunset's neck was the only response she got.
"Adagio, please…" Sunset left the sentence hang unfinished as Adagio trailed more kisses along her shoulder. "If I moved, would you come with—oh wow."
Sunset's train of thought wobbled on the rails as Adagio's fingers explored.
"I mean, I'd like to get your opinion…"
Adagio looked into Sunset's eyes and kissed her passionately. Sunset felt the last of her resolve slip away.
"Later. We can talk about it later."
She let herself be led away, following Adagio and her devilish grin all the way to bed.
***
Sunset stared at the ceiling as Adagio slumbered next to her. Once again, Adagio had managed to derail a conversation by seducing her. A soft sigh escaped her as she shifted about, turning her back to Adagio.
The room lit up in the dull glow of her cell phone as she finished it from her pants and returned to her previous conversation with Twilight.
Twilight's last text seemed to sit there patiently, like it was waiting for her to do something.
"Do what makes you happy." Sunset read the words aloud to herself.
The phrase stuck out now, forcing her to think in the dark of the bedroom.
What made her happy? Her music, she supposed. And her art.
Did Adagio make her happy, though?
She did, at one point.
For some reason, the thought gnawed at her, settling heavily in her gut.
With a grunt, she rolled back onto her back and resumed staring at the ceiling, replacing the rest of the night in her head over and over. Each time, the weight in her gut grew hotter, until Sunset couldn't take it anymore.
She slid out of bed and threw her clothes on before grabbing a pen and paper from Adagio's desk.
The pen hovered over the paper as Sunset thought about all the things she wanted to say to Adagio.
Apologies about never helping Adagio regain her voice.
Scathing accusations that Adagio didn't try hard enough.
The idea that maybe they should take a short break.
Finally, she scrawled down a message and wiped away the tears threatening to drip into the note that read, I can't do this anymore.
Before she could second guess herself, Sunset had grabbed her jacket from the kitchen and practically ran to her motorcycle.
The thundering engine drowned out any doubt as Sunset rode away.
Author's Note
This was written on a phone due to a lack of internet, so I welcome any pm's pointing out any mistakes.
