I Get Off

Chapters

Innocence
Rock Show
What Were You Expecting
Do Not Disturb
Mz. Hyde
Back From The Dead
Mine
I Get Off
What Sober Couldn't Say
Familiar Taste Of Poison

Innocence

“You’re not listening!”

Aria looked up from her phone, just in time to dodge out of the way of an incoming pillow that was chucked across the living room. In a rare turn of events, it was Sonata who was annoyed by her friend's preoccupation. Normally, it was Aria who was focused, and Sonata who had her nose buried in her phone (albeit oftentimes for work). Now, with the roles reversed, Aria was the one who had to deal with an irate best friend.

"You know, if you didn't wanna hear about my day, you coulda just said so," grumbled Sonata.

"What?" Aria blinked, setting her phone down on the coffee table. "Sorry. Zoned out a little. I was just…"

"Waiting for Adagio to call?" said Sonata. Aria said nothing, suddenly extremely interested in the cooking show Sonata had at some point changed the TV to. "It's been a week by now, hasn't it?"

"She's probably just been busy. She didn't say when she worked, and this might not be her only job," said Aria, at least a bit stubbornly. She pulled her knees to her chest, staring at her phone, begging for it to ring. "She'll call."

"Aria. You know I love you, beb. So don't take this the wrong way." Sonata paused for a beat, waiting for Aria to respond. When she didn't, she continued. "You're starting to seem like you might be getting a little… desperate."

"So now it's desperate to expect a call?"

"It's not just that. If I'm being honest, this whole thing… It just doesn't sit right with me." Sonata relocated herself from the loveseat she favored, dropping down onto the couch beside Aria. "This 'Adagio' girl, if that's even her real name… She sounds an awful lot like Sunny."

"She does not! Seriously, what is with you?" groaned Aria. "I get that I was torn up over her. You would be too, if you split from a long term relationship. But I'm over it. Her. Whatever." Aria crossed her arms and leered at Sonata. "Not everything I do is because of Sunset."

"You're really gonna make me do the Devil's advocate thing?" Sonata let out a sigh, shaking her head. "So a sexy redhead steps all over you, turns you into a heart-eyed mess, and doesn't ask for your number but orders you to give it? Isn't that exactly how you met Sunset?"

"Not exactly." Aria's ears began to burn slightly as she recalled the lap dance again. She had spent many nights, and even a few days, in the past week reliving that dance. "So what's your point? I can't be attracted to strong women? Or redheads? Besides, Adagio's not really a redhead. More of a ginger, I guess?"

"My point is that denial isn't just a river in Utah."

"I don't have the time or energy to explain why that doesn't make sense so—"

Just then, Aria's phone began to ring, stopping her heart in her chest. She glanced to Sonata before quickly grabbing it from the table, fumbling with the screen to answer the call. Aria put the phone to her ear, barely able to hear because of the adrenaline and blood coursing through her, clouding her head.

"Hey, Yolanda, you need me to—"

"Ugh! For the last fucking time, this isn't Yolanda!" snarled Aria. "Don't fucking call here again!" She angrily hung up, tossing the phone down with a scowl. Her eyes drifted to Sonata, who was watching with an arched brow. "What?"

"Pretty intense," noted Sonata.

"I get a call looking for Yolanda all the time, and I'm sick of it. If I miss Adagio's call because of some moron who has the wrong number, I'm gonna snap." Aria considered her words, frowning angrily at Sonata and her darkly bemused smirk. "I am not desperate!"

"Just… Be careful, okay?" Sonata patted Aria gently on the thigh. "I don't like seeing you hurt."

"I know you're just trying to look out for me, and I appreciate it, but you're overthinking it. It's just coffee with a hot chick I met," said Aria. "No different than you and your flavor-of-the-week boy-toy."

"If you say so." Once again, Aria's phone began to buzz, stealing away her attention. Sonata watched the phone buzz on the table for a bit, then glanced at Aria, who seemed paralyzed. After a moment, Sonata cracked a grin, grabbing up the phone and passing it to Aria. "Fine, go ahead. Shoot your shot."

"Thanks, Sony." Aria grabbed the phone and very quickly answered it. "Hello?"

"I was starting to think you wouldn't pick up, sugar."

"Sorry. My roommate had my phone," said Aria, her heart picking up a bit upon hearing Adagio's sultry voice.

"Oh, is that your friend from the club?" Adagio let out a chuckle. "Tell the ATM I said hello."

"Heh. Her name is Sonata, by the way." Aria glanced over to her friend and very quickly muttered. "Adagio says hi." She stood up and began pacing the living room as she spoke. "So… How're you?"

"Bored. Peckish. So, here I am laying in bed, bunny slippers and fluffy robe, the whole nine yards… And your number pops into my head," said Adagio. "Figured I'd give you a call after all."

"You're wearing bunny slippers?" asked Aria, a bemused sort of laughter in her voice. The laugh that she received, in turn, slithered down her spine, making Aria's hair stand on end.

"No. But if you want me to talk about what I'm wearing, I'm afraid I'm going to have to charge you. If you're that excited to know, though… Not much." Aria could imagine the scene, Adagio lounging in her bed, her perfect body on display. Teasing Aria from who knows how many miles away. "But I'm not in the mood for work. I'm in the mood for coffee, maybe a scone. Village Coffee, 5th and East 31st."

"What if I'm busy?" She only asked the hypothetical to prove to Sonata that she was not desperate. At all. Aria, of course, wasn't busy in the slightest. She had cleared her whole week on the off chance that she heard back from Adagio.

"Then I'm going to be having a very lonely coffee." Adagio let out a bit of an exaggerated sigh, and it became clear that she was aware of how much she had Aria in the palm of her hand. Not that Aria cared about that sort of thing. "Twenty minutes. See you there, sugar."

The line disconnected, but Aria didn't move just yet. She just stood there, phone to her ear and heart slamming against her ribs. This was probably the best she could have hoped for. Adagio called. Adagio was interested in meeting her for coffee. Adagio had asked her on a date. This was ideal.

It was also almost exactly how Sunset had asked her out.

"So…?" Sonata tilted her head in concern. "What'd she say?"

"I gotta go." Aria snatched up her wallet from the table and stuffed it, along with her phone, into her pocket. "We're doing coffee. Might be out a while."

"Have fun. See you back for dinner?" said Sonata. "It's Taco Tuesday!"

"It's Friday, numbnuts."

"Was hoping you wouldn't notice. Fajita Friday isn't as catchy…"

Aria shook her head, clearly fighting back a smirk as she headed for the door. She glanced back at her friend, who gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up. It was then that it occurred to Aria how lucky she was to have a friend like Sonata. If she had been all alone the past year or so, she wasn't certain if she would've made it. Even now, all Sonata wanted was for Aria to be happy.

"Fajita Friday works. Wouldn't miss it," said Aria with a tiny grin. "See you later."

Aria noticed her immediately upon entering the coffee shop, as if a beacon shined from across the establishment. She wore a trendy, little black dress, cut fairly low and showing quite a good amount of cleavage. Her eyes were hidden behind a pair of golden-colored designer shades, but the shine of her glossy red lipstick was more than enough to get Aria's blood pumping. Atop her head was a beautiful black sun hat, her entire outfit making Aria feel supremely underdressed in the blouse and jeans she had borrowed from Sonata.

"Hey. Was kinda afraid you wouldn't show up," said Aria, sliding into the booth across from Adagio. "Thanks for, uh… not standing me up, I guess."

"If I didn't intend to see you, I wouldn't have called," said Adagio plainly. "What do you drink?"

"I wouldn't say no to a cappuccino. You want me to go up and order or…"

Adagio ignored her, beckoning to a barista behind the counter. To Aria's confusion, the barista very quickly finished the transaction she was in the middle of and made her way over to the table.

"Two cappuccinos, make mine a double, extra foam," said Adagio, her tone resonant with that same confidence and control that she displayed in the strip club. "Scones?" Aria didn't realize that was a question directed at her until it was too late, and it appeared that Adagio never intended to let her answer at all. "Scones are good. Do you have some sort of sampler basket?"

"Yes, ma'am," said the barista.

"Then we'll do that. That'll be it for now. Thank you." Adagio waved politely as the barista made her way back to the counter to prepare their order. "You'll have to forgive me, I get cranky when I don't have my coffee."

"I can relate. Sometimes Sonata will try to get me to do something early in the morning, and every time I nearly kill her," said Aria with a nervous chuckle. "Can't get anything done before my caffeine."

"What do you do?"

"Audio editing. Mostly freelance, but I sometimes get these contracts from companies that make commercials. I also produce music, but that's more of a hobby. How about you?" As soon as she said it, Aria realized how absolutely brain dead of a question that was. "I mean… Obviously, I know… That was a stupid question."

"Only a bit. Trust me, I've heard worse."

"Worse how?"

"Several guys have started our meeting with 'how much for this', and it has never once worked out for them," said Adagio flatly. "Contrary to popular belief, I am, in fact, more than a pair of tits and a nice juicy ass."

"Here you are, ladies." The barista returned, setting down their coffees and a platter of multiple scones of varying flavors. "Please, enjoy."

"That's not what I think." Aria paused, playing back her own sentence in her head. "Shit, no, that's not what I meant. I mean I don't think that you're just… I mean, your body is definitely really nice, but I get that you're not just…" Aria bloomed bright red, grabbing up her coffee and taking a sip. "Still had worse?"

"Like you wouldn't believe. I appreciate the sentiment, sugar," said Adagio, bringing her cup to her lips and taking a dainty sip. "But let's call a spade a spade. We're only here because you saw my tits from across the club and you're hoping to get a better look."

"You're wrong, actually. I mean, a better look would be… Pretty awesome. But that's not the only reason I was so attracted to you." Aria watched Adagio for some expression, the inability to see her eyes seriously hampering that endeavor. "It was actually your eyes I saw first." Adagio laughed at that, which only served to make Aria blush further. "Why's that funny?"

"Oh, I'm sure you mean well, sugar, but that line is so overdone and cheesy… Every idiot who wants in my pants says that."

"It's not a line. It's the truth."

"That so? Prove it," said Adagio. She adjusted her shades, making certain that Aria couldn't peek. "What color are they?"

"They're… Magenta. Like, super bright and bold and shiny. Like garnets." Aria closed her own eyes, recalling the way she felt when those garnet eyes passed over her the first time. "They're so intense, they almost seem to glow in the dark."

"My, aren't you attentive?" Adagio pulled down her shades, revealing those bright, bold magenta eyes and, for the first time since Aria entered the coffee shop, Adagio flashed her a smile. "I like a girl who pays attention."

"I can't help it. Can't seem to get enough of you." Once again, Aria cringed at her own words, wishing to God and man and all in between that she could just control herself in Adagio's presence. Just for a second. "I'm, uh, coming on too strong, aren't I?"

"Probably. Can't say I'm not flattered," admitted Adagio. She nibbled on a scone, offering the plate to Aria and watching as she accepted. "Everyone thinks I want some big shot, ladies man that's just drowning in women. And maybe that's what I used to want. But now… I'm more interested in a bit of innocence."

"Considering how we met, I wouldn't exactly call this innocent."

"I suppose that's a matter of perspective. Despite the fact that you're very clearly trying to get me into bed, you're going about it in a pretty adorable manner. At the very least, I'm intrigued." Adagio hummed, leaning back in her seat. "My attention is hard to gain, and even harder to keep. So kudos to you for that. I would've forgotten most people in a week."

"You must get a lot of, uh… clients," said Aria. To her surprise, Adagio shrugged.

"Not as many as you'd think. As you no doubt recall, I'm a bit pricey. Not everyone is as willing as you to pay for a private show," remarked Adagio. "Makes it feel extra special for the ones who are."

"Yeah. Very special. I still think about it sometimes."

"Just think?" Adagio peered over her sunglasses as she asked, the devilish smirk combined with the boldly confident glint in her eye showing just how much she enjoyed reading Aria. When she didn't respond, Adagio chuckled, pressing a bit. "Come on, now. I won't laugh at you, I promise. Just tell me."

"No… Not 'just think'," admitted Aria. Her head felt as if it was about to catch flame, a sensation she was starting to enjoy more and more. Adagio really was something else. "I may have… done some other stuff."

"That must mean I'm good at my job. Don't have too much fun thinking about me, now. Don't want you getting bored of me."

"Can't really see that happening. You're about as far from boring as you can get. You're so…" Aria struggled to find the words at first, because there were so many ways to describe Adagio. Beautiful. Sensual. Intimidating. Powerful. After a second, Aria found the one that best captured her thoughts. "Alluring, I think is the word. We've known each other for what? A collective thirty minutes? But it feels like you know exactly how to push my buttons."

"Call it a tool of the trade," said Adagio. "People like to tip after having their buttons pushed a bit."

"You're so mysterious. I can't get a read on you." Aria paused, thinking back to her earlier conversation with Sonata. "Is Adagio even your real name?"

"That's going to depend greatly on your definition of the word 'real'. It's what I go by, so whether it's my birth name or not shouldn't matter." Adagio pouted, pulling down her shades and batting her lashes at Aria, almost instantly forming a lump in her throat. "Besides, I thought you said my name was pretty."

"It is. Just… I guess I wanna know the real you. Not just the pole dancer."

"Who's to say there's even a 'real me' to know?" Adagio chuckled to herself as she finished off her coffee. "You know, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."

"I think you're more than 'just a cigar'. And if you're not…" Aria shrugged. "Prove me wrong. If I get to see you even one more time… This'll all have been worth it."

"Mh-hm. Well, sugar, today's your lucky day," purred Adagio. "I'm off tonight, which means you get to take me to dinner."

Aria was, understandably, a bit stunned. She thought she was doing everything wrong, but it looked like Adagio might have been more interested than she originally let on. Maybe Aria had a chance.

"Alright, perfect!" Aria grinned, unable to contain herself. "Where do you want to go?"

"Haven't decided yet. Text me your address, I'll pick you up. Be ready for a 6 P.M. dinner, and dress nice." Adagio stood up, taking one last nite of her scone before setting it down. "I'm afraid I have to go. It was nice seeing you in some more natural light, sugar." Adagio kisses her fingers and blew it to Aria, making Aria more jealous of a hand than she had ever been of anything. "Don't worry about the coffee, I had it paid for before you came in. See you tonight."

And, just like that, Adagio was gone, the last image Aria having of her being the swaying of her hips as the dancer left the coffee shop. Despite the abrupt end to their date, Aria couldn't help but smile like a goof from ear to ear. It was almost impossible to tell for sure where Adagio actually stood, but Aria was starting to think that she liked her. Adagio was the one who had suggested dinner in the first place, so she must've had some interest. At that moment, Aria wasn't worried about the inner machinations of Adagio's mind so much as she was focused on the fact that, for the first time in over a year, she had a proper date. Then, slowly, Aria's face fell as the pieces fell into place. She had agreed to go on a date with Adagio. Tonight.

On Fajita Friday.

"Shit." Aria groaned at herself, and the unsavory position she found herself in. Sonata wouldn't be happy to hear that Aria was standing her up for some girl. Even for as many dates and hookups as Sonata had, she never ever let a boy come between her and her best friend. At the same time, Aria couldn't possibly risk turning Adagio away, not now when she was just grabbing her attention.

Sonata was a good friend. Surely she'd understand Aria's position. Right?

"I'll make it up to her," murmured Aria, grabbing up a scone from the platter. She caught a glimpse of Adagio's cup, the rim stained with her scarlet lipstick. Another marker of Adagio's presence, her aura stubbornly refusing to fade even when she herself left the scene. "She'll forgive me."

"I'm never gonna forgive you," pouted Sonata.

"Come on, Sonata, I said I was sorry!" Aria let out a groan, dropping her forehead against the kitchen counter. It was getting close to 6, and, while Aria was ready to go in her emerald green dinner dress and a pair of shoes she had long ago borrowed from Sonata, she also couldn't imagine leaving for her date while her friend was still upset with her.

"You know what else you said?" Sonata scowled across the kitchen counter, glaring daggers as she poured herself a glass of chocolate milk. Her stress-relieving beverage of choice. "That you wouldn't miss Fajita Friday."

"I know, and it's really lame of me to ditch you," admitted Aria. She reached for the chocolate milk herself, frowning when Sonata snatched it away. "But… She asked me out. What was I supposed to do?"

"Tell her that you already had plans!"

"Look, weren't you the one saying I needed to get out and meet people?" Aria felt her hot blood begin to rise, a bit of frustration towards Sonata and even more towards herself. "First I was sulking and pining over Sunset, and the moment I find someone cool that I'm trying to get to know—"

"Hey, no. Don't do that. You know that's not what this is about. I know what I said, but this is getting crazy. Think about what you're doing!" Sonata took a great big gulp of chocolate milk, letting out a tired sigh. "You met a chick last week, for like an hour, some stripper that you barely know and now… You're ditching me for her? On Fajita Friday? You've never done that before."

"I know, I know. And I'm sorry, I really am!" Aria could see the look in Sonata's eyes, her concern just barely buried beneath raw annoyance. "But… You don't get it. She's not 'some stripper', Nata. She's the stripper. She's special. I can't really explain it, but I haven't felt this way for someone in a long time, not since—"

"Sunset? The girl that you're super over and that this stripper totally isn't like?" Sonata's voice was a bit snappy, and she seemed to realize it, because she recoiled a bit at the flare of anger displayed on Aria's face. "Okay, I could've said that in a less sucky way, I'll own that. But I'm getting seriously worried here."

"About what? You don't think I can take care of myself?"

"Aria… You had your heart broken. I think you might be trying to find a new Sunset when this Adagio girl… Well, I don't know. But I don't know if she feels for you what you feel for her. She really just sounds like she's playing you."

"You don't even know Adagio!" snapped Aria.

"Neither do you! That’s the whole problem, Aria! We’ve known each other our whole lives, from day one, and you’re gonna leave me high and dry for a girl you don’t even know! That’s not you.” Finally, Sonata set down the jug of milk and pushed it in Aria’s direction. Aria peered at her before taking a swig straight from the jug. “I’m really scared for you, Aria. If she’s already doing this much to you, to us… I just don’t want—”

“You don’t want another Sunset. I get it. But, like…” Aria let out a tired sigh, draining the rest of the jug tiredly. “When Sunset left me, I broke. She smashed me into a million pieces on her way out, and I didn’t think I’d ever put myself back together. I cried ‘til I couldn’t cry anymore, and then I just… Existed. I wasn’t crying anymore, sure, but I couldn’t laugh either, and that was way worse. I only just now started to feel like myself again. And, to be honest… I’m not over her. I guess I thought maybe if I said it enough, I could trick myself into buying it. But it’s BS. Every single night since she left me, I thought about her. She was the last face I saw before I fell asleep. I couldn’t get past her, no matter what. Until the club. Meeting Adagio, that was the first time I was ever able to just forget Sunset, even just for a night.”

“I’m happy to know she’s helping you get over things, but… That’s also why I’m scared. You’re making her the most important thing in your life. What’s gonna happen if it turns out she doesn’t care about you as much as you care about her?”

“I don’t care. Don’t get me wrong, I totally get it. Chances are good that Adagio’s using me for business and a couple of cheap laughs,” admitted Aria. “And I know how sad and pathetic it is to say but… I don’t care. I just don’t. She breaks my heart, then boo-freaking-hoo, it doesn’t matter. Because she got me past Sunset. She’s putting me back together. And she could meet me for dinner and tell me that I’m just a piggy bank to her, and I won’t care, because I need to see her. Just one more time, at least.”

“Ari…” Sonata stood up, rounding the counter to hug her oldest friend. “You poor thing…”

“Just one more time, Sonata. If it works out, then it works out. If it doesn’t… At least it’s not Sunset anymore." Aria gripped Sonata's hand, squeezing her gently. "I'm sorry for bailing on you tonight, but please… I need this."

"Aria…"

"It won't happen again, I promise. Next time, it's all you," promised Aria. "Just give me one more. I just need to see her again."

"Ah, geez… You're lucky I love you," sighed Sonata. "I'll let it go, but only if you promise to text me during your date. I wanna be sure things are going okay."

"Done. I'll make this up to you, Nata, I promise. I—" Aria felt her phone vibrate and, after sharing a glance with Sonata, quickly pulled it out to check the text.

I'm waiting.

"No more ditching you. I promise," said Aria. After staring at her friend for a bit, Sonata finally relented, giving her a nod.

"Just make sure you're okay tonight, whether it goes good or bad," sighed Sonata. "And if you plan on bringing her home, maybe give me a head's up?"

"Don't know if I'll be that lucky, but… Thanks, Sony." Aria smiled, standing up and giving a little turn. "How do I look?"

"Like a million bucks." Sonata swatted Aria on the butt, the way a football player might do to a teammate in the locker room. "Go get em, champ."

With a small nod, Aria grabbed up her purse, slung it over her shoulder, and headed out the door. She was nervous, understandably so, but Aria also looked forward to the date. Even though she had just seen her a few hours previously, Aria was eager to spend more time with the mysterious dancer. Perhaps if she got to know her better, she'd be able to figure out what made Adagio tick as much as Adagio seemed to know about Aria.

Aria hurried out of the apartment, her elevator moving far too slow for her liking. She might've taken the stairs, if not for her making the rare decision to wear heels that night. That never was her style, but she remembered hearing Sonata mention that a pair of heels always made her feel confident on a date. Considering how easily Adagio turned Aria into a stammering pile of nerves, Aria reckoned she needed all the confidence she could get.

The night was cool and breezy, but comfortable, and Aria felt pretty damn good in her dress as she exited the lobby and stepped into the streets. She glanced around, searching for Adagio, before diving back into her phone to text her date. Aria realized that she didn't know what car Adagio drove, and therefore had no clue which car was waiting for her. She had her head down, typing at her phone, when a smooth, even voice interrupted her.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" There was an older man standing before a beautiful black luxury car, the newest model and far more expensive than Aria could've ever afforded. He wore a crisp black suit, black gloves, and a similarly black hat. "Are you Ms. Aria?"

"Uh… Who's asking?" Aria was nervous, rightfully so. It was a strange city she lived in, with no shortage of odd characters without much of a grip on reality.

"Ms. Adagio is waiting for you." The man opened the back door of the car, revealing a beautiful leather interior, an ice bucket of champagne, and, most importantly, Adagio herself. She sat there, just as beautiful as ever in her sparkling scarlet dinner dress. She turned to face Aria, a small grin spreading to her lips as she beckoned with one finger.

"Kept me waiting, sugar," she purred. Aria was confused, but her body seemed to act on her behalf, marching her to the car and sliding into the backseat beside Adagio. "You look confused."

"You… You have a chauffeur?" asked Aria. Adagio didn't answer right away, instead popping the cork on the champagne and pouring a glass each for herself and Aria, while the driver returned to the front seat and smoothly took off.

"Mr. Tie prefers the term 'professional driver'. Considering the good work he does, I'll call him whatever he damn well pleases." She offered Aria a glass, toasting her when she accepted. "I don't care for driving, personally. Why bother when there are people as good as Mr. Tie out there?"

"You flatter me, ma'am," said Tie from the front seat.

"I wasn't expecting… this." Aria sipped her champagne, positively baffled by the situation. "No offense, but this seems like it's more expensive than a, uh… An exotic dancer—"

"Come on, sugar, I'm not that pretentious. Stripper is fine."

"Yeah, well, strippers don't typically have cars this fancy, or personal drivers to take them places."

"I suppose that makes me a bit of an atypical stripper, then," hummed Adagio. "I take it you're not opposed?"

"Not opposed. Just confused."

"Just the way I like it, sugar."

The rest of the drive was mostly uneventful, aside from some brief small talk. What Aria really wanted to ask about was the car, the driver and, now that she thought about it, the coffee shop. She wasn't sure if Village Coffee typically did table service, and she had to assume Adagio had left a big tip before their date in order to get such perks. Aria suspected that Adagio knew how curious she was, based on the way she danced around the situation, carrying on as if nothing was strange at all.

The trip to the restaurant was fairly short, just enough time for the pair to finish off their champagne before they arrived. Mr. Tie stopped the car in front of a fairly upscale Italian restaurant, a place Aria had been planning for Sonata's birthday, and opened first Adagio's door, then Aria's. Adagio extended her hand and, after staring for a split second, Aria accepted it. The feel of Adagio's perfectly soft and buttery smooth skin gave Aria goosebumps as the two walked arm-in-arm into the restaurant. It didn't take long for the pair to be seated and have their order taken, at which point Aria finally decided to push the point a bit.

"So… It's supposed to be pretty tough to get a reservation at this place," said Aria casually. "How'd you manage to get us a table on such short notice?"

"Same way I get anything I want, sugar. My feminine wiles," remarked Adagio. She leaned forward, resting her chin in her hands and flashing Aria a smirk that could only be described as devilish in nature. "I can be very persuasive."

"You don't say… Well, guess it doesn't matter how we got here." Aria shrugged. "I'm really happy to see you again. Thought I might've screwed up during coffee."

"You were fine, sugar. You worry too much about what people think."

"Not 'people'. You. I like you, a lot, and I just want you to like me back."

"Stuttering and tripping over your words a bit isn't going to change whether or not I like you." Adagio raised a brow, staring through Aria just as much as she looked at her. "I've already decided how I feel about you, and it's going to take something a bit more substantial than a few ums and uhs to change my stance."

"Oh? So how do you feel about me?" asked Aria. Adagio grinned once again, this time sending a shiver down Aria's back with a giggle.

"It's more fun if I keep you guessing. Hope that doesn't bother you any."

"Like I said, I'm just happy to see you again." It got quiet for a spell, so Aria decided to feel the situation out a bit. "My roommate was kinda worried. Said you might be trying to play me."

"That's a valid concern. I haven't exactly given you a lot to work with," admitted Adagio. "What do you think?"

"I think that I'll feel a lot better about things if I knew more about you."

"Well, I'm not the type to give away too much for free. So how about we make a game of it?" Adagio very clearly had Aria's attention, which is exactly what she wanted. "You ask me a question. I'll answer it. You then have to tell me something embarrassing about yourself. The more personal your question, the more embarrassing the thing you reveal to me. The twist is we have to tell the truth, except for one. We each get one lie apiece, whenever we like. Sound fair?"

"Sure… Me first?" Adagio gave a nod, which Aria returned. "So… How long have you been dancing?"

"Since I was four," said Adagio. She waited a bit, taking in Aria's concerned, confused expression before elaborating. "Ballet. I didn't start that kind of dancing until I was 19, maybe 20. I've been bumping and grinding ever since. Alright, now I get to hear something about you. Nothing too embarrassing, now. Save the good stuff for later."

"Okay… When I was in high school, I did marching band," said Aria carefully. "And I was so bad that I got booted out after one performance. Director said I was the worst clarinetist he'd ever seen."

"Ouch. A bit harsh."

"Nah, he was right, I sucked." Aria shrugged. "When did you really decide where we were going to have dinner?"

"About two minutes before I pulled up to pick you up," said Adagio. Aria didn't think she would lie on such a basic question, but it was almost impossible for her to tell for sure. "That was a softball, sugar. Hope you have more interesting questions."

"Just taking it slow. I don't wanna embarrass myself too bad, not this early. Oh, and I sing in the shower."

"What do you sing?"

"Depends on the day. If I know Sonata's out, it's hip-hop. Hardcore gangsta stuff." Aria felt her heart thump in her chest as she managed to make Adagio laugh. "Why do you strip? Doesn't seem like you need the money, unless your private dances are even more expensive than you said."

"It's fun. I like the feeling of all those eyes on me. The thought that people are willing to pay so much just to look at me, not even touch, it's what gets me out of bed in the morning. That one's a bit more personal, sugar. Let's hear something good."

"Whenever Sonata goes out with a guy, I get super jealous that she has someone. She's always been better at meeting people and handling relationships than me, and I hate that. It's really petty and lame, but it is what it is."

"People like to look down on envy, when it's really just as natural as breathing. In a way, I think it's a form of admiration. What's more flattering than someone wishing they could be you?"

The two traded questions and revelations about one another for some time, the date having the same general feel of a game of chess. Even as their meals arrived, at which point Aria had asked quite a few questions, she still felt that Adagio was as mysterious as ever. Anything the dancer said could easily be her lie, and Aria wasn't certain if she'd ever know for sure what was the truth. That just made their interaction all the more intriguing and intoxicating to Aria. She was a pawn in Adagio's game, and she had no reservations about whether or not she liked that feeling.

"Have you ever dated a customer before?" asked Aria. Adagio mused over the question, sipping her wine as she did.

"Not since early on in my career. Maybe twice?" Adagio shrugged. "I think my rule might've leaked, and after that, people couldn't be bothered. And now, most of my clients realize that I'm way out of their league anyway, so they settle for a dance."

"Rule?"

"Oh, right. Never mentioned it, but… I don't put out until I've dated someone for six months," said Adagio. Aria stiffened somewhat, a reaction not missed by her date. "It really helps to weed out who's worth my time and who's just hoping for a quick, sloppy fuck. You understand, don't you, sugar?"

"If it's anything like your dance, it'll be worth it. I don't mind waiting, assuming we get that far," said Aria. Obviously, she was hoping to sleep with Adagio at some point, but she had no problem with waiting. Even if six months was a bit lengthy. "What else is embarrassing to say about me?"

"Since you asked me something about my love life, I'd like to hear about yours. If you have anything interesting to say."

"Oh. Oh, this is pretty cheesy…" Aria let out a nervous chuckle, trying to decide if she'd actually go through with what she was going to say. "I've uh… I've never slept with someone unless I thought we were going to end up married. I needed to be in love with them or else I just didn't feel attracted to someone."

"Until you met me, I presume?" asked Adagio. Aria nodded slowly. "Well, sugar, the check will be here soon. How about one more question before we hit the town?"

There were still a million questions Aria wanted to ask, countless mysteries she wanted to discover. What would be the best question to ask, now that she only had one left? What if Adagio used her lie for this? Assuming she hadn't already, that is. After a moment of thought, Aria finally decided that her overwhelming curiosity was outweighing any thought of strategy or reason.

"How can you afford all of this?" asked Aria finally. "Expensive cars, fancy restaurants, personal drivers, the coffee shop thing. You're an amazing performer, don't get me wrong, but no stripper makes that much. What else are you?"

"Trust fund baby. My father was a very successful real-estate tycoon. My mother was a fairly popular musician in her time. They left me a lot of money. I've never had to work a job in my life, and I can't even touch the majority of my money until I turn 30." Adagio grinned at Aria's expression, taking great joy in her apparent confusion. "I told you, sugar. I strip for fun, not to pay bills."

"Huh. That explains a lot. No wonder you're being so secretive," mused Aria. "Alright, something embarrassing from me now… Oh, I—"

"When was the last time you got laid?"

Aria very nearly choked and died on the spot, which would have been very bad for her date, indeed.

"Uh… What?" This was about the most complete thought Aria was currently capable of, her brain busy rebooting and trying to find a sufficient way out of it.

"That's the most intimate, personal question I can think of off the top of my head," said Adagio. "Seems like a good way to end our game. Wouldn't be a bad time for you to use your lie, either."

"What if I already used it?"

"What, you don't think I know if you did? Go on, sugar. I promise I won't laugh."

All things considered, Aria didn't think Adagio laughing at her would be all that bad.

"Christ… Alright, define 'got laid'," said Aria.

"When was the last time that another human being made contact with you with the intention of bringing you to climax?"

"Um… I wanna say…" Aria thought long and hard, feeling her ears burn with every second of Adagio's continued gaze. "Promise you won't tease me?"

"I give you my word."

"Alright, well… by that definition, it's been almost three years."

"Holy shit." Adagio slapped a palm against her mouth, and it seemed as if Aria had finally managed to surprise her. She removed her hand, regaining her composure somewhat. "Sorry. That was rude. I'm just surprised, is all. You're a nice girl. Not bad looking, either. I find it hard to believe that you haven't had a girlfriend in three years."

"That's not what I said." Aria bloomed even brighter, her embarrassment not helped when Adagio leaned in for elaboration. "I, uh… I was seeing someone, and it got dicey near the end. Just so happened that 'the end' stretched on for a long time." It got quiet for a bit, and for the first time all night, Aria averted her gaze. "And if you don't mind, I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"Fair. Didn't mean to upset you." Adagio waited a beat, then reached forward to gently grab Aria's hand. "I'm not ready to go home just yet. You wanna get out of here? The night's still young."

"Yeah. That sounds good," said Aria after a moment. She shook herself a bit, meeting Adagio's bold eyes with her own and smiling. "Ready when you are."

"Then let's go, sugar."

"I had a great time."

Aria froze, not expecting something quite so candid and plain out of Adagio. She, obviously, enjoyed herself greatly, and she always suspected that Adagio did too. Even still, it was shocking to hear her come out and say it. Adagio wasn't looking at Aria when she spoke, instead peering out the opposite window while Mr. Tie parked outside of Aria's apartment.

"Me too. It was really nice getting to know you better." Mr. Tie opened the door, but Aria didn't exit the car just yet. "Think we could do it again?"

"I'd be disappointed if we didn't. I'll call you next time I'm free."

"So I guess this is goodnight?"

"Sure looks like it." Adagio turned, giving Aria a look and a wink that made her heart thump against her ribs. "You take care now, sugar."

"Heh. You too. See you when I see you." Aria shimmied away, nearly stepping out of the car when Adagio grabbed her firmly by the wrist and pulled her back. "Huh?"

"Before you go, I want to tell you something," breathed Adagio. Aria leaned in, hanging onto every word and feeling herself shiver at the breathy whisper that came from Adagio's lips. "If you had asked me to make an exception to my 'six months' rule, I would have. I would have had no problem telling Mr. Tie to go on break while we fucked right in the back seat." She leaned in, pulling Aria closer and closer. "I would have made you cum so hard and so many times that you'd forget all about that dry spell of yours…"

Adagio brought her lips to Aria's, stealing her breath with a deep, passionate, fiery kiss. Aria was a bit shocked at first, but she very quickly melted against the dancer's lush, full lips. Adagio wrapped her hands around Aria's head, lacing her fingers through the smooth purple locks as the two tasted each other. The moment felt like it lasted forever, and Aria was certain she'd remember the feel of Adagio's tongue against her own for the rest of her days. Too soon for Aria's liking, the two broke apart, Adagio nibbling gently on Aria's bottom lip before pulling away completely.

"See you when I see you, sugar," said Adagio with a wink. Aria nodded slowly, doing all she could to keep her goofy, love-struck grin from showing. She was very unsuccessful in that regard.

Aria slid out of the car, watching as Mr. Tie closed the door and returned to the driver's seat. The car's engine purred, ready to take off, when Aria felt a sudden curiosity grip her. Before the car could pull off, she quickly tapped the window with her knuckle, and Adagio soon lowered her window, looking out at Aria and giving her an inquisitive hum.

"We each had a lie tonight," said Aria. "Did you use yours?" Adagio smiled, waiting, torturing Aria with the agony of each passing second of curiosity.

"Yes," she said finally.

"What was it? What was the lie?"

"Goodnight, Aria." Adagio chuckled as she snapped her fingers, giving the command for her driver to drive. "I'll be seeing you again soon, sugar."

Before Aria could ask again, Adagio was pulling off, her car disappearing into the night. Aria stood there on the sidewalk for a moment, trying to absorb everything that happened, and also trying to figure out Adagio's lie. Was it her reason for stripping that was the lie? Or was it the source of her wealth? Was it the thing about the exception to her "six months" rule? With the way Adagio liked to mess with her, the lie could have been as simple as her being 27 years old when she claimed to be 26.

Right then, as Aria made her way back to her apartment, it didn't really matter. She wasn't thinking about Adagio's money or motivations when she was unlocking her apartment door. She was thinking about Adagio's soft lips against her own, that sleek, authoritative tongue all but forcing Aria into submission. The grip on her hair, graceful yet powerful. The lingering scent of Adagio's perfume dancing in Aria's nose. The way she moaned, forcing herself to pull away from Aria. As if Adagio was fighting to control herself. As if Adagio wanted more. As if Adagio wanted her.

"Hey, you're back!" Aria blinked, looking up as she entered the apartment to see Sonata sitting on the counter with a tub of ice cream. "Was gonna send out a search party soon."

"What are you doing up?" asked Aria, closing and locking the door behind her. She was barely paying attention to Sonata, her attention understandably divided. "It's hella late."

"Wanted a snack, but we didn't have anything good, so I had to run to the corner store to get some ice cream." Sonata shoveled a spoonful of rocky road into her mouth, pursing her lips in thought. "I've been giving it a lot of thought, and I think that if we do it tomorrow, we gotta call it Salsa Saturday. It's not as good as Fajita Friday, but…"

"Sure thing. We can go grab stuff for it in the morning. Right now, I'm beat." Aria started on her way to the room, frowning when she saw Sonata's smug little grin. "What?"

"Have fun?" asked Sonata. Aria nodded, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. "Looks like your luck was better than you thought."

"What are you—?"

"You smudged your lipstick, beb." Sonata let out a laugh at Aria's expression, the way she fruitlessly attempted to wipe the makeup from her face. "I wanna hear deets, but I can wait 'til morning, since you're so tired." She giggled again, her voice adopting a singsong tone. "I can't imagine why…"

"Goodnight, Sonata," said Aria, shaking her head. Sonata nodded and waved, letting Aria finally make her way to her room. While Sonata surely wanted to joke around with her friend a bit, Aria just wanted, needed, some sleep. Sonata probably wouldn't believe her if she said she didn't "get lucky", anyway.

Although, given how well things went with Adagio, Aria was inclined to believe that she was pretty fortunate after all.

Rock Show

Aria leaned against the wall, tiredly puffing on her cigarette. The apartment complex had a strict "no smoking" rule, so Aria often found herself in the chilly autumn breeze whenever she needed to get her fix. Even if she wasn't in the mood for a smoke before, being kicked out for the night certainly brought her to that point. Once again, Sonata had found a match on Tinder, and, once again, Aria was asked that she "make herself scarce" around the apartment.

Aria knew that was code for "fuck off so I can get laid", so she grabbed her purse and opted for a smoke break while she figured out what to do with herself.

Aria wasn't sure if Adagio had work today, but even if she was, it was far too early. No one went to a strip club at 5:30. She could always text her, to see if she was free and felt like catching a movie, but Aria thought better of it. They just saw a movie together a few days ago. The last thing she wanted was for Adagio to think she was boring or repetitive. That wouldn't do.

"Fuck it," sighed Aria, pulling out her phone. As she maneuvered through her menus to text Adagio, her phone buzzed, signaling that the dancer beat her to the punch.

Busy?

Aria smirked, shaking her head at the serendipitous timing.

Not really. Why?

Look up, sugar.

Aria cocked her brow and looked up curiously, her eyes landing on the now-familiar black luxury car parked across the street, and the professional driver standing outside the door. Mr. Tie, as serious and professional as he was, politely waved to Aria before gesturing to the car. After a bit, Aria flicked her cigarette down, crossing the street and sliding into the car once Mr. Tie opened it for her.

"Hey, I was just about to text you," said Aria. Adagio flashed a smirk before swooping in to peck Aria in the cheek, seemingly for no other reason than to watch her squirm and blush.

"I'm on my way to get something done, and I'd like some company while I do it," said Adagio. "You got an hour or so free?"

"Yeah, for sure. I'm down."

"I knew you would be. Mr. Tie, I'm ready now."

"Yes, ma'am, of course." Tie started the car and smoothly took off down the street.

"So, what had you standing out in the cold, sugar?" asked Adagio. "Lose your keys?"

"Sonata has a date," said Aria with a shrug. "We have an agreement to stay out of each other's way when we have someone over."

"How very thoughtful. Still jealous she's getting some and you're not?"

"Not as much. I realized that what she has isn't the same as what I want."

"Is that right?" Adagio crossed her legs, flaring her red skirt up just enough to give Aria a peek at her smooth, sleek yet powerful thigh for just a second. "And what is it that you want?"

"You." Aria was far beyond the point of being concerned about coming on too strong. She had begun to embrace Adagio's advice from dinner, about caring about what others thought of her.

"That's still 5 months away, sugar."

"I can wait. With the way you like to tease me, I'm sure it'll be worth it." Aria chuckled almost nervously, watching Adagio's expression. When the dancer smiled, Aria felt her heart soar in that special way that only Adagio was capable of causing. "So. Where are we going?"

"I need to get some work done. A friend of mine has a place, I wanted to get it done while I have a few days off." Adagio tapped at her phone, likely shooting off a text to the aforementioned friend. "We'll be there soon."

"You know, you're really good at answering questions without actually answering anything."

"Part of my charm. Doesn't matter, we're about to pull up."

True to Adagio's claim, the car came to a stop outside of a shop that Aria had seen in passing but never actually gave much thought; a small shop with the sign bearing the name Monster's Ink. Adagio exited the car first, gesturing for Aria to follow before leading the way into the shop. A bell jingled as the pair opened the door, and the lone artist sat in wait beside a cushioned black seat, sketching into a notepad. She looked up, cracking a grin as Adagio entered.

"Lizzie!" said Adagio, extending her arms. The two embraced, and Adagio kissed her friend on either cheek. "It feels like it's been ages."

"Cause it has been. Just cause you're a big shot dancer now, you think you don't have to pay your friend a visit?" Lizzie shot a glance at Aria, looking her up and down. "This one of yours? Doesn't look the type, but..."

"Oh, no, she doesn't dance. We've been seeing each other for a bit now, about a month. Lizzie, Aria. Aria, Lizzie."

"Nice to meet you." Aria shook Lizzie's hand before scratching her chin thoughtfully. "You know, when you said you needed 'work done', I was thinking something more surgical..."

"Please, sugar, as if I need plastic surgery. No, this is just a bit more ink." Adagio looked to Lizzie, crossing her arms. "Finish the design yet?"

"What kind of amateur do you take me for?" Lizzie turned her sketchbook around to reveal what she had been working on: a multifaceted amber diamond, behind which was a large purple treble clef. It was simple, yet striking and elegant. "You like?"

"I do."

"Then let's get this show on the road. You know the drill." Lizzie pointed to an adjustable cushioned chair that had been laid out into a bench. She claimed the swivel chair beside it, and then pointed to a simple plastic chair on the other side of the bench. "Aria can sit over there, if you need to hold someone's hand or something."

"Take a seat, sugar," said Adagio. Aria, eager to see how Adagio looked with more ink, took the seat as instructed. Meanwhile, Adagio climbed into the bench, laying face down on the cushioned surface. Before Aria could formulate her question, it was rendered unnecessary; Adagio hiked up her skirt, revealing her thick, round, perfectly bouncy ass, the only thing maintaining her modesty being a very revealing black thong. Aria felt the air in her lungs go solid, and she tried not to stare for too long. Even still, with something that divinely perfect just a few inches in front of her, it was hard to keep her gaze from drifting.

"Which cheek are we doing?" asked Lizzie.

"The right. I want it just about…" Adagio reached back, gripping the outside curve of her butt with two fingers. "Here. Almost wrapping around my hip."

"Got it. Let’s get to it.”

Lizzie quickly got her tools in order, making quick work of sterilizing her canvas before she began her work. Aria couldn’t help but look on enviously as Lizzie worked, the artist having full reign of Adagio’s butt in a way that Aria desperately wished could be her. Of course, Lizzie wasn’t particularly interested in the intimate nature of her canvas, instead focusing on the work at hand. Adagio didn't make much of a peep as the tattoo needle made contact, the primary sound filling the room being the gentle buzzing of Lizzie's equipment.

"So, Aria, you got any ink?" asked Lizzie.

"Nah. Always thought I was too scrawny," said Aria nonchalantly. This wasn’t exactly the truth, however. She formerly didn’t think too much about her wiry frame, not until Sunset mentioned it. "Not much of a canvas."

"A good artist doesn't need much canvas." Lizzie chuckled to herself, inspecting her design on Adagio for a moment before continuing. "Hey, Adagio. You still work with Alexa?"

"Nope. She wasn't pulling in the tips that she wanted, so she went elsewhere. Last I heard, she was doing some dirty work," hummed Adagio. "Well, dirtier, I suppose. Haven't heard from her in a year or so. You did some work on her, though, it looked good." Adagio turned her head over to face Aria. "Alexa was so petite and boney that she makes you look like you had my curves by comparison. I'm sure Lizzie can make a design work on you, sugar."

"'Course I can, cause I'm a goddamn pro."

The three chatted idly as Lizzie worked, trading stories and getting to know each other a bit over the course of an hour. This was another thing that Aria found bugging her; She hadn’t expected such familiarity between the two. Lizzie had such chemistry and history with one another, and it felt like Adagio was becoming a whole other person. It seemed that having an extra person around somewhat cut down on Adagio's fierce, intimidating aura, making Aria much calmer than before. Pleasant as that was, Aria couldn't help but miss that sense of danger a bit. One of the things she found so enticing about Adagio was that aura, the sensation that she was playing with her food before she finally struck, and Aria didn't love the idea of losing that edge. She wanted Adagio all to herself. All her's.

Or she wanted to be all Adagio's. Aria wasn't too picky about that.

"Hey, you two have plans tonight?" asked Lizzie as she began the finishing details on the tattoo.

"Aria's not allowed back home until her roommate is done with her dick appointment," said Adagio. "So I thought we could drive around a bit, see if there's something worth doing."

"Right on, right on. If you're looking for suggestions, though, I got two AnMach tickets I can't use. I don't know how you feel about rock, but…"

"I listen to anything. What do you say, sugar?" Adagio looked to Aria, staring through her as she waited for a response. "How does a rock show sound?"

"I haven't been to a concert in ages. Sounds like a good time," said Aria. "Didn't think you'd be into that, though."

"Oh, sugar, you don't know half of what I'm into."

"Well, they’re yours,” said Lizzie. "If you head straight there after here, you'll be right in the front row."

"Thanks for the tickets, sugar," hummed Adagio. "Very generous of you."

"Nah, not really. I'm definitely calling in a favor soon." Lizzie laughed, giving Adagio’s un-tattooed cheek a gentle pat. "You owe my brother a lap dance next week."

"Isn't your brother in prison?"

"Why do you think he wants a lap dance? He gets out on Thursday."

"Fine. Bring him down and tell the bouncer you're a friend of mine, I'll set your brother up." Adagio sighed, pushing herself up and peering over her shoulder to see her tattoo. "Are we done here?"

"Yeah, we're done. You know the drill, keep it cleaned, don't go swimming ‘til it's healed, yadda yadda." Lizzie applied a thin sheen of petroleum jelly to Adagio's tattoo and placed a thin plastic bandage over the fresh ink. "You're gonna wanna stay off your tush for a while, and maybe go commando, stick to skirts."

"Mh-hm. Thanks a bundle, sugar. I'll have to have you over for drinks soon." Adagio stood up, pulling her skirt down and wincing slightly as the fabric other skirt danced down her sore backside. "Aria and I better be off."

"Yeah, I've gotta jet soon, anyway. Oh, let me grab those tickets, they’re in my office.” Lizzie dusted her hands off on her jeans and headed for the back. “Be right back.”

"So… How do you know her?" asked Aria, watching the door as Lizzie disappeared into the back of her shop. She cleared her throat, doing all she could to avoid Adagio's gaze. "Lizzie, I mean." Adagio snickered, turning to look Aria in the eye and flashing that sinister, dastardly perfect smile of her’s.

"I know that tone," hummed Adagio.

"What tone?"

"The 'I'm jealous but I know I shouldn't be so I'm trying to make it seem like I'm not jealous' tone."

"Well… You seemed pretty close, is all," noted Aria. “I had to pay to get that close to you, and you didn’t even let me touch.”

"She was tattooing my ass, Aria, that's about as close as two people can get. And I don’t know if you noticed, but she wasn’t exactly playing around back there. She was doing a job."

"I know, but still… Like, you called her 'sugar'. Didn't know you called everyone that." Aria's cheeks tinged red, not least of all because Adagio had once again read her perfectly; She was a bit jealous, as irrational as that may have been. "I’m just kinda curious about you and her, is all."

"I don't call everyone sugar. Just a few people who matter," said Adagio. "But, if you must know, we met in college. I caught her blowing our Calculus professor, and she bought liquor for my parties so I wouldn't tell anyone. Been a good friend ever since."

"Oh. That's nice, I guess." Aria shook her head, kicking herself for being this way. She had told herself that she wasn't that kind of person anymore, the unconfident, insecure, jealous type. "Sorry. I'm just…"

"Don't be sorry, sugar. I know what it's like to want something all to yourself. So how about I give you something Lizzie doesn't have?"

Before Aria could respond, Adagio raised up her skirt to grab the waistband of her panties. She gently tugged them down the length of her legs, wincing slightly when they passed over her fresh ink. Aria watched Adagio move, entirely transfixed when she pulled the black thong past her ankles and held it up before Aria's eyes.

"Here. I can confidently say Lizzie doesn't have one of my thongs," said Adagio with a grin. She pushed the panties into Aria's hands, giggling at her dazed expression. "Hope this makes up for me calling her sugar, sugar."

"You don't have to make anything up to me," said Aria, a bit dumbstruck. Even despite her somewhat weak-hearted protest, she folded the panties neatly and stuffed them into her back pocket.

"No, I don't. Still, it's nice. I'm sure you'll find some use for those." Adagio glanced over to the door, taking note that Lizzie still hadn’t returned. “Oh, well, you've been good. You may spank it." Adagio hiked up her skirt and turned to show her ass to Aria, and raised a hand, one single finger. "Once."

"You're kidding."

"Left cheek, please. Obvious reasons."

"What happened to '5 months away'?"

"I said you had to wait 5 more months for me to fuck you, and if you think that slapping my ass counts, then I am going to blow your mind come spring." Adagio wiggled her hips, her unseen smirk almost tangible at the way Aria stared. "Now quit being a pussy and spank me."

Aria wasn't going to do it. As much as she wanted to get her hands on Adagio's body, she had every intention of waiting. Part of that was a concern of ruining the budding relationship. Part of it was a desire for it to be absolutely perfect when she finally broke her dry spell. A lot of it was fear, this innate, intoxicating fear of Adagio and her power, her control, her confidence. But, given the direct, stern, unwavering nature of Adagio's command, Aria felt her hand move on its own.

SLAP!

The sting of Aria's hand against Adagio's flesh was supremely satisfying, as was the whimpering moan that came from Adagio. That moan, the heavenly sound of Adagio's smooth, satin voice exclaiming in pleasure, it was all Aria could do to stop herself from taking another swing. Aria held her hand in place for a second, as if coming to terms with what she had done, before quickly retreating back to her lap.

"Like that?" asked Aria, just the slightest bit of smug satisfaction in her tone.

"Sugar, that was perfect. I knew you had it in you," purred Adagio. She wiggled her hips again, making her freshly spanked bottom jiggle hypnotically. "A bit hard, if I'm being honest. But that's okay." Adagio giggled and, with minimal effort, absolutely evaporated Aria's smug confidence, turning her back into a shaky, almost trembling mess. "I'll remember that when it's your turn."

"Oh? S-so you're gonna spank me?"

"Aria, my sweet summer child… I'm going to do a hell of a lot more than spank you. Come May, that flat little butt of yours will be too sore to sit anywhere but Mommy's lap."

Aria thought that Adagio intended that as a threat, but it really just made her all the more eager for spring to come.

Lizzie returned shortly after with the tickets in tow, handing them to Adagio before the two hugged and shared another pair of cheek kisses. Aria stook to simply shaking Lizzie’s hands and, after Adagio promised to have Lizzie over for drinks at some point in the near future, the pair waved their goodbyes and headed out for the awaiting car.

Somehow, with a freshly-worn pair of Adagio’s panties in her pocket and the memory of spanking her perfect ass at the forefront of Aria’s thoughts, rock music was the absolute furthest thing from her mind.

BZZZZZ!

Aria let out a shuddering moan, the restrained sounds of her pleasure drowned out by the gentle growl of her vibratior as it buzzed against her clit. Though Sonata was a notoriously heavy sleeper, and was surely knocked out by the time Aria had gotten home, the sock on her doorknob said that her date had gone well enough that the guy in question was still in the apartment. Not wanting to risk alerting a perfect stranger to her masturbation habits, Aria had thought it prudent to maintain some degree of quiet. Ordinarily, she would just cover her mouth with her hand, but with how antsy she felt, that didn't feel sufficient.

That was why Aria currently had Adagio's thong to her face, and no other reason at all.

She just needed something to muffle the sounds of her moans, is all. The fact that the panties were still heavy with Adagio's essence, and that this was as close as Aria had yet to get to Adagio's pussy, those were incidental. Aria wasn't so much of a freak that she would actually be sniffing Adagio's panties while she masturbated, dreaming about what the dancer would do to her once these six months were up.

"Adagio…"

Not even Aria herself was buying that story.

"Mmm… Fuck…" Aria gasped, her hips jerking against her magic wand, the toy sending electric buzzing through her body. Just as intense as the vibrations against her clit was the smell, the alluring, addictive, fragrance that clung to Adagio's panties. Her eyes just about rolled back in her head, the aroma clouding her mind and driving her wild. Aria bit her lip, inhaling Adagio's essence, almost able to taste her on the cloth.

Aria would do just about anything to taste Adagio for real, just run her tongue up and down the dancer's smooth, velvety skin. Whether it be between Adagio's legs or along the curve of her shapely, freshly-inked ass. Hell, Aria would even settle for a taste of Adagio's flat, toned belly, just anything to get more of Adagio's presence. In her desperation for more of Adagio, Aria squeezed her eyes shut and shoved the black thong into her mouth.

If she concentrated very hard, thinking past the feeling of lace against her tongue, Aria could swear that she tasted Adagio. Her fleeting sweetness, like honey, danced around Aria's mouth, followed closely by an almost earthy tang. Aria's mind raced, wondering just how she was going to be able to last five more months before getting the real deal. If just a pair of Adagio's panties were doing this to her, the woman herself would undoubtedly shake her to her core.

Aria moaned and gasped around Adagio's thong, the cloth acting as a sufficient gag to keep her quiet as she finally came. She tensed and quivered, her legs shaking as she pressed her vibrator firmly against her clit, wishing and pleading that it could have been Adagio there to bring her to climax. She was convinced that it would be worth the wait, but the idea of someone as perfect as Adagio dancing just barely out of Aria's grasp drove her insane.

She shut off her toy, dropping it onto the newly damp towel she had laid out on to avoid ruining her sheets, and reached for her phone to check the time. She had work in the morning, and she wanted to know just how screwed she was for staying up as late as she had. More importantly than the time was the one missed notification, a text Aria received ten minutes ago. Right after Aria started her session.

Enjoying my little gift?

Aria chuckled, panties still stuffed in her mouth, before typing out her response.

Idk what you're talking about.

It only took about a minute for Adagio to respond, and she did so in a manner that utterly dropped Aria's jaw. The first message was a picture, a mirror selfie that displayed much of Adagio's perfect body. She was entirely naked, but using a strategically placed finger, she censored her reflection, teasing Aria without letting her see the goods. Next came a text, immediately following the picture.

If you told the truth, my hand would be busy giving you more of a show.

Aria was in the middle of a response, something about how she was spending the night in her room working, and that she didn't have time for whatever it was Adagio was implying, when she received yet another message.

Only naughty girls lie to Mommy. And naughty girls get punished.

Aria's brain froze for just a moment, her jaw so slack that it allowed the panties to fall from her mouth and land on the bed, before she deleted her original message and responded with a new one.

Sorry. Won't happen again.

What Were You Expecting

Sonata often found herself annoyed by Aria's choice of apartment.

Sure, it was the only one available at the time. Sure, it was affordable and quite nice for the price. Sure, it was close to Aria's work and, as Sonata mostly worked from home, it was only fair to make things easier for the one who actually had to commute. Even still, it was on the 10th floor, and the elevator had a nasty habit of being out of service often, seemingly whenever Sonata had to go on a run to get groceries.

"Stupid elevator…" Sonata sighed as she conquered the last flight of stairs, arms laden with things they'd need for the rest of the week. She was glad that she had opted to save the heavy shopping for the weekend, or else this trip upstairs was quite likely to be her last. "Where the heck is Ari when you…"

She trailed off as she cleared the landing to her floor, her gaze falling on what stood at her doorstep. A rather tall woman, at least a head taller than Sonata herself, and stunningly beautiful. Despite her simple attire, just a deep orange blouse and snug skinny jeans (Sonata couldn't help but notice that the pants made the woman's ass look fantastic), she was more stylish and eye-catching than just about anyone Sonata had ever seen.

"Hey there," said Sonata as she approached. The woman turned, staring Sonata down with her piercing magenta eyes. "May I help you?"

"I'm waiting for someone," said the woman, uncrossing her arms as she turned to face Sonata. "Although… If you're who I think you are…"

"I'm Sonata, I live here. And you are…?"

"Adagio. I assume Aria told you about me?"

"Oh! You're the stripper!" One unfortunate quirk of Sonata's that Aria had learned to live with over the years was her unfortunate habit of speaking before thinking. She recoiled as her mind processed what she said, and she quickly corrected herself. "Sorry, I didn't mean…"

"You're fine, sugar. I am, indeed, the stripper." Adagio smirked. "And you must be the ATM."

"Huh?"

"A bit of an inside joke. Once Aria gets in, we'll tell you all about it."

"Well, I don't know where Ari is or when she'll get back, and I'd feel awful if I left you here all that time, so…" Sonata shimmied and dug for her keys, clumsily slipping it into her lock. "You wanna come in? It's kinda chilly out, and I was gonna make some hot cocoa…"

"I wouldn't want to intrude," said Adagio. "Don't know if Aria would mind me coming in without her."

"Pfft, don't be silly. The apartment is half mine, anyway! Come on, I insist.” Sonata swung her hips into the door, knocking it open and gesturing for Adagio to enter. “We have a tradition, where I meet Aria’s girlfriends and embarrass her before she can stop me. Lemme tell you, sister, I have got some stories.”

“Well, you drive a hard bargain.” Adagio smiled and strode forward, stepping into the apartment before Sonata. "Hot cocoa, you say?"

"Only the best for my best friend's girlfriend."

Adagio looked around the quaint, perhaps a bit cramped, little apartment with a watchful eye. The place was rather sparsely decorated, which Adagio presumed had to be Aria's doing; in the four months since the pair met, Adagio had learned that Aria tended to value practicality over flair, for the most part, although she did tend to make exceptions in regards to melodramatic strippers.

Sonata led Adagio to the kitchen, directing her to have a seat at their tiny table while she prepared their drinks. It was quiet as she did, save for Sonata's somewhat off-key humming, but Sonata could feel the weight of Adagio's glare. She immediately understood why Aria was so interested in the dancer, now that the two had met. Her presence was unmistakable, and it made her incredibly intriguing.

"Here you go." Sonata slid a steaming mug to Adagio. "Aria was supposed to be here by now, but she probably got hung up at work."

"It happens," hummed Adagio. She sipped her drink, letting out a surprised little chuckle. "Ooh, that's good. I don't get to have this sort of treat very often."

"Gotta keep in shape for dancing, right?" asked Sonata. Adagio nodded, and Sonata cracked a grin. "Say, got any tips? Guys love a girl who can do a good striptease."

"Hm…" Adagio tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Well, confidence, for one. Never second guess yourself. For as long as you're dancing, you have control of the situation. Take it slow, but not too slow. Think 7 Rings, not Purple Rain. Find your best assets, or whatever it is your guy likes best, and build your routine around that part of your body." Adagio gave Sonata a once-over with a watchful eye. "I'd go with your chest. Your tits are incredibly perky and really symmetrical. Very nice."

"Oh wow, you think?" Sonata very rarely gave her sex appeal much thought, believing (perhaps a bit naively) that her success on Tinder was due entirely to her winning personality, and so she was almost surprised when she looked down at her breasts. "Thanks!"

"If you like, I can show you some moves," offered Adagio. "Nothing too crazy, just a bit of choreography."

"That'd be great! But, uh… We're not actually gonna take off our clothes, right?"

"Oh, no, not at all." Adagio pulled out her phone and began playing a slow, sultry R&B track from her playlist. "That costs extra."

Adagio led the dance, directing Sonata on how to move her hips and shoulders, things she had picked up over the years. Sonata showed a natural propensity for dancing, an intrinsic sense of rhythm that Adagio wouldn't expect from a novice. She hummed thoughtfully, deciding that the reason for Sonata's apparent skill was likely because she wasn't dealing with a novice at all.

"You've done this before," noted Adagio.

"Kinda sorta. I was big into ballet when I was a kid, thought I was gonna be some big shot prima ballerina," said Sonata with a chuckle. "I had this big show in high school, and I took a nasty fall. Totally blew out my ACL, haven't danced seriously ever since."

"Damn. Sorry to hear that. I did ballet, too, and if it makes you feel better, it's not all it's cracked up to be." It got quiet for a while, the only sound coming from the sound of the music. "Is that how you met Aria? She mentioned being involved in music in high school."

"Nah, me and Ari go waaaaay back. Must've been like 5 or 6? Some of the older kids were pushing me around on the playground, sticking gum in my hair, you know how it is, and Aria just wam, bam!" Sonata punched the air for emphasis, bringing a small smirk to Adagio's face. "Fought off like four kids, all like twice our size, by herself. Said she didn't like bullies. We've been besties ever since!"

"That's really sweet. Aria talks about you a lot, about what a good friend you are. It's nice to hear about friends who just have each other's back like you two," said Adagio.

"You know, Adagio, you're a lot nicer than I thought you'd be."

"Oh? What were you expecting?" chuckled Adagio. "Horns? Pointy tail? Pitchfork?"

"Well, when Aria told me she was dating a stripper, I thought…" Sonata sheepishly scratched the back of her head, smiling a bit awkwardly. "Let's just say I was expecting the worst."

"Can't fault you for that. There's a certain stigma to my profession, and a lot of it is justified. Still, though, the pole doesn't discriminate," said Adagio. "All sorts of people like to show strangers their tits. In fact, looking at you now, you'd probably be really good at it. I'd offer you a tryout, but I don't know if I want you cutting into my tips."

"Heh. Maybe after a few more dance lessons," laughed Sonata. "But yeah. I like you, Adagio. You're cool!"

"You're not too bad yourself, ATM."

"Okay, seriously, what's—" Sonata surely had more to say, if not for being distracted by the sound of the door unlocking. Through the entrance came Aria, arms laden with grocery bags of her own. She cocked a brow at the scene before her, surprised by the events unfolding. "Hey, Aria, guess who I found?"

"Hey. Sorry I'm late," said Aria slowly. She kicked the door closed behind her, carrying her bags to the counter for unpacking. "Got held up at work, then I swung by the store to get stuff for dinner. It's, uh, Taco Tuesday."

"It's Wednesday," noted Adagio.

"Sonata wanted Mexican tonight and we couldn't find a word that started with W."

"Uh-huh. Well, nice to finally see you, sugar."

"Daaamn, you weren't kidding, Aria," said Sonata. "That is sexy. I don't even swing that way, but for that voice…"

"I swear to God, I will slip cyanide into your guac," snarled Aria. She blushed brightly, avoiding Adagio's gaze. "Sorry about… Her."

"Don't be. I happen to like her, actually." Adagio stood up and crossed the kitchen, planting a kiss on Aria's cheek. "Glad to know that there's someone taking care of my favorite toy." She flashed Sonata a grin and a wink. "Nice meeting you, Sonata. If you ever need more dance tips, just come find me at work."

"That sounds like you're leaving," said Sonata with a frown.

"I didn't realize you and Aria had plans tonight, or else I would've come around another time. I wouldn't want to intrude."

"Again with the intruding! Come on, ya gotta stay! Aria makes the best salsa."

"I've told you a thousand times, it's store-bought," said Aria, rolling her eyes. Sonata shot her friend a look, leering at Aria suspiciously.

"There's something you're doing to it that makes it extra delicious and I will learn your secrets!"

"You are something else…" Aria paused her unpacking, looking back at Adagio. "She's right, though. We'd love for you to stay for tacos."

"Well…" Adagio's eyes flicked from Aria to Sonata and back, before, finally, she sighed. "I guess I'll just have to text Mr. Tie and tell him something's come up." That brief bit of concern, or perhaps even anxiety, vanished from Adagio's face. "Dinner it is, then. Thanks for having me."

"Woo! That's awesome!" Sonata shot out of her seat, clearly excited as she ran for the hall. "I'll get the good plates!"

"Since when did we have 'good plates'?" snorted Aria.

"I bought some but then I hid them cause I didn't want you to see that we weren't using them and then get bummed out cause we have no friends!"

"The hell are you… And she's gone." Aria palmed her forehead, groaning in annoyance. "Sorry. She can be a bit much to take in all at once. She's like a golden retriever on a triple shot of espresso. You get used to her, though." Aria glanced back at Adagio, frowning slightly at her expression. "Everything okay? You look… Off."

"Sonata called me your girlfriend earlier," said Adagio slowly. Aria nodded. "Hm."

"Hm? What does, uh, what does that mean?" Aria stopped in her dinner preparations, now completely absorbed by what Adagio had to say. "Is that a good hm or a bad hm?"

"Just… hm. I don't like labels very much, and I didn't realize you felt like we were at that level already."

"We've been seeing each other for four months now. Is there a six-month wait on us being exclusive, too?"

"Who said I wanted to be exclusive?" asked Adagio. Aria visibly stiffened, and so Adagio amended her tone. "I don't like being tied down, is all. I've always been this way. I never was the kind of girl that's good at playing house."

"So what, I'm just keeping you busy until someone more your taste shows up?" Despite her best efforts, Aria could feel her cheeks tinge red. "Is that why you didn't wanna stay? You're expecting something better to come around?"

"Please don't put words in my mouth, sugar. Relax. There's not someone else, and if there was, I'd tell you."

"So you'd cheat on me, but you'll at least give me a heads up."

"I didn't say that. But I'm nothing if not honest, and going behind anyone's back just isn't my style." Adagio put her hand on Aria's shoulder, who jerked away slightly. "Don't be like that, sugar. I didn't mean anything by it. I just don't feel comfortable with the idea of being tied down. I didn't know it would bother you this much."

"You ever been cheated on?" asked Aria. After a short pause, Adagio shook her head. "Well, it's the fucking worst. Imagine giving someone your all, dedicating all of your love and energy to them. You show them sides of yourself you don't show anyone else, they know you better than you know yourself, and you have this unspoken agreement that nothing will come between you two…" Aria clenched her fist, almost wincing at the memory. "Just to find out that you're not good enough. For whatever reason, no matter how hard you tried, no matter what you gave, you weren't good-looking enough, or you were too boring. Too much of a basket case. It fucks with you, and it never really goes away.

"I'm guessing that's what happened with you and your ex?" Adagio questioned. "She cheated on you?"

"She says she didn't, but I know she did. She got bored with me and my problems. She wouldn't touch me, because I wasn't good enough. I was hoping to be good enough for you, and you're telling me right now that I'm not."

"Sugar… it's not like that," said Adagio gently.

"Then why don't you want to be my girlfriend?"

"I don't want to be anyone's girlfriend, Aria. Calling ahead, remembering anniversaries, quiet weeknight dinners in, it's not me. I can't do that sort of thing. A girlfriend doesn't wait until two minutes before the date to let you know that the date is even happening. A girlfriend doesn't show up, get you flustered, and leave you alone with something to think about. A girlfriend definitely doesn't swing around a pole and grind on strangers' crotches for money."

"I wouldn't ever ask you to change any of that. That's who you are, and that's what I like about you," said Aria. "I just don't understand why you don't want our relationship to have our name. Doesn't it matter to you?"

"Of course it matters to me, and that's precisely why I don't want to name it." Adagio watched Aria prepare dinner, chopping onions in silence for a few moments, before the dancer continued. "My parents met in college. Friends for years. Then, more than friends. They got together, one thing led to another, and, nine months later, out comes me. We were happy. They were happy. They spent some time apart, my mother going on tour, my father working across the country, and they don't get married until I was five years old, because I wanted them to. Then, after something close to two decades together, after they got married… They imploded. They fought like cats and dogs, tossing insults and slurs and things a little girl had no business hearing anyone say to another being, let alone her parents."

"I don't…"

"My point is, Aria, that my parents loved each other, had a perfect relationship. Everything was perfect. Then, they gave their relationship a name and forced themselves into this... Construct," explained Adagio. "Within two years of their wedding, they're divorced, on opposite ends of the country because they hate each other that much, and I'm being tossed back and forth between the two while they fight like fucking children to get me to pick their side. Their careers were doing well, they were making more money than ever. The only change was when they got married. They took their relationship and strangled it. They squeezed it to fit a mold that didn't need fitting, all because I was some stupid little girl who thought Mommy and Daddy needed to walk down the aisle in order to be happy."

Adagio grabbed Aria by the shoulder again, this time with better results. Aria turned to face her, looking up at those piercing magenta eyes and feeling her cold exterior melt. Adagio pulled her in, perhaps a bit roughly, and, when it was clear that Aria wasn't going to fight it, she brought their lips together for a brief, tender kiss.

"Whatever we are and whatever we have is something special, and I don't want to fuck that up just so we can change our relationship status on Facebook," said Adagio. "If you want to label us that way, then I understand. But my parents had 20 years of preparation and still fucked everything up. I don't want to take that risk."

"What if I don't want to risk being with someone who might go behind my back and hook up with someone else?"

"Then that says a lot about how you see me."

"No. It's not you, it's…" Aria sighed, setting down her knife for a moment to think. "I'm not the best at trusting people. Bad experiences."

"I understand that, sugar. But if you want us to be… Whatever it is we are, then trust is a necessity. I have no intentions of hurting you, okay?" Adagio grabbed Aria's hands gently, giving them a tiny squeeze. "Maybe we have different ideas on what a relationship is. That's fine. But of all the strip joints in all the towns in all the world, you shake your boney sss into mine." She smirked and, after just a second, Aria matched it. "That has to count for something. That's something worth trusting in, right?"

"Yeah. You're worth it, for sure." Aria maintained much of her stony facade until Adagio leaned in and gave her another soft, gentle peck on the lips. "I should probably get back to cooking or else it'll—"

Adagio grabbed Aria by the collar and pulled her in close, until the two were chest-to-chest, and kissed her deeply. She didn't use words, because they were ultimately unnecessary; Adagio said everything she needed to with that kiss, the way she moved her tongue against Aria's and damn near brought her to her knees. Not with force, but with finesse, tenderness. That kiss told Aria that, no matter what they opted to call themselves, what she had with Adagio was special. Much like Adagio herself, it was unique, intoxicating, a bit scary. Aria was naturally afraid of another heartbreak, but if there was anyone worth putting herself in the line of fire for, it was Adagio.

"Good news, I found the good plates!" Sonata hurried back into the kitchen, arms full of dishes. "Bad news, I dropped one so now there's broken glass on the…" She only just then seemed to notice the two fused at the lip, and she quickly averted her eyes. "Whoops, didn't mean to interrupt! I'll just… Come back later…"

"No need." As usual, it was Adagio who pulled away first, and, as usual, it was clear that they were both left wanting more. She gave Aria a little wink and a smirk. "Just wrapping up a little girlfriend talk. Right, sugar?"

"Yeah. Right." Another common occurrence, Aria found herself blushing and grinning like a fool at Adagio's words. "I should get back to cooking. Shouldn't be long."

"Mh-hm. In the meantime…" Adagio grinned sinisterly. "I was promised embarrassing stories of Aria?"

"Oh, son of a bitch…" groaned Aria. Sonata matched Adagio's grin, taking a seat at the table and leaning in to look Adagio in the eye.

"Where do I start with this one?"

Do Not Disturb

"Date tonight?"

Aria looked up from her phone, meeting eyes with Sonata for the first time in several minutes. Due to Aria having that Friday off, and Sonata having a very flexible schedule anyway, the two had been lounging around the living room all day. Just a quiet afternoon of relaxation.

"Yeah, Adagio wanted to take me somewhere," said Aria. "How'd you know?"

"I can smell your perfume, you only ever wear it when you're trying to be extra smexy for Adagio," said Sonata with a grin. "Whatever gets her going, but you might wanna go a little lighter next time."

"As if you know what girls are into."

"Fair enough. Hey, since you're gonna be out, maybe I should see someone, too." Sonata pulled out her phone, flipping through her contacts. "Hm… I wonder if Devin is free…"

"Isn't Devin the one with the shrimp dick?" asked Aria.

"Nah, that was Derek. Devin is the one I showed you that video of."

"Oh yeah. How did you find his old sex tape with his ex, anyway?"

"He sent it to me, said it's still up on her OnlyFans, so he gets a cut." Sonata shrugged. "He wanted to give me a preview before I tried it myself."

"And?"

"Videos don't do it justice. You know how they say the camera adds five pounds?" Sonata fanned herself with her hand, nearly fainting dramatically from the simply scandalous memories. "Well, it also takes off like six inches, 'cause when I say it's bigger in person… I thought he was gonna kill me with that thing. What a way to go, right?"

"Yeah…" As a devout lesbian from the very beginning, Aria couldn't totally relate to Sonata's experiences. Things were different with the same sex. Even still, Aria was perfectly fine talking to Sonata about such intimate affairs. "Well, let me know if you're planning on chasing down a boy-toy so I know if I need to order dinner."

"Yeah, I think that's what I'll do. If Devin isn't free, I'll just hit up a bar and…" Sonata peered at her phone, smacking her forehead at what she saw. "Oh yeah! I totally forgot. Devin got engaged! No wonder we stopped fooling around… He just invited me to his wedding, think I should go?"

"I wouldn't. Probably not a good look for you to show up at your fuck-buddy's wedding," said Aria. Sonata nodded along, typing out what was undoubtedly a proposition for a one-off with yet another contact of hers, when Aria's phone rang. Aria glanced at the phone and smirked at Adagio's name before answering the call. "Hey, babe. Ready to go?"

"Actually, Ms. Aria, I'm calling on behalf of Ms. Adagio."

"Oh. Hey, Mr. Tie." Aria stood up and paced along the length of the living room. "Is, uh, is everything alright?"

"Yes, ma'am. I am simply calling to deliver a message on behalf of Ms. Adagio. She wants you to know that something has come up. She would like you to meet her at the Six Seasons Hotel at seven, as opposed to your original agreed upon date plans."

"A… hotel? Okay…" said Aria slowly. "Where exactly should I be looking for her?"

"The very top floor, room 1334. There will be a keycard waiting for you at the front desk. If you like, I can arrange for your pick-up and transportation."

"No, that's okay. Six Seasons is actually, like, down the block from my place. I'll just walk."

"Of course, ma'am. Ms. Adagio wanted me to remind you not to be late."

"Got it. Uh… You have any idea what this is about?" Aria had been seeing Adagio for some time and, as a result, had spent a bit of time around the professional driver. Even still, along all these months, Aria had yet to hear Mr. Tie laugh until this moment.

"Trust me, ma'am. You'll want to be on time."

The line disconnected, leaving Aria just as confused as ever before. She checked the time, 6:24 PM, which meant Aria should be getting ready soon. Even still, she hesitated, concerned by the change of plans. This wasn't Adagio's usual antics, pulling the rug out from under Aria to keep her guessing. Adagio would've told her straight up if that was the case, she would have wanted to hear Aria's voice as she teased her. To go through Tie was strange.

"I'm gonna go get ready," said Aria, sliding her phone into her pocket. "See you when I see you."

"Me too. Devin just texted me to say his fiance gave him the ok for one last hurrah," said Sonata with a grin. "You better have a story for me in the morning, cause I'm gonna tell you every little bit of what goes down tonight! I know you like to keep your sex life private, but come on, I'm curious!"

"For the last time, Sonata, me and Adagio aren't there yet." Aria groaned and rolled her eyes. "Trust me, if I could brag about getting laid, you'd never hear the end of it."

"Uh-huh. Well, whenever you feel like telling me, I'm all ears." Sonata clearly didn't buy Aria's story, made evident by her smug, knowing grin. Aria just rolled her eyes again, throwing a wave over her shoulder as she made her way for the door. "You kids stay safe, don't do anything I wouldn't do! Use protection! Don't want any Aria Jr’s running around just yet."

"We're lesbians, idiot!"

The Six Seasons was a rather expensive hotel, not the sort of place Aria had spent an overwhelming amount of time in. Judging by the glittering lobby, with its marble columns and crystal chandeliers, it seemed like somewhere Adagio would be very comfortable in. Elegant, classy, sophisticated, it fit the dancer's tastes to a T. Aria wasn't sure why exactly Adagio had called her to a hotel, but she could tell quite easily why Adagio had called her to this hotel.

The concierge was waiting with a keycard for Aria when she arrived, and he directed her to the same floor Tie had told her, room 1334. When asked for Adagio's whereabouts, the hotel staff had nothing of note to give Aria. All they could say was that the room had been paid for. Her curiosity mounting, Aria made her way to the elevator, the slow rise to the hotel's top floor soundtracked by the dull, steady tune of elevator music.

Ironically, Aria was feeling a great many things, but "steady" wasn't one of them.

The room in question was at the end of the hall, but it may as well have been on Mars with the way Aria felt. She had to drag herself down the corridor, her heart beating like a drum with each and every step. Her hands shook as she brought the keycard to the door and, after taking a moment to collect herself, she unlocked the door and stepped into the master suite. It was a beautiful room, with a king-sized bed, a fully stocked minibar, and a large TV that was currently switched off. Aside from an armchair near the window, there was a plain, sturdy wooden chair in the middle of the room, which seemed to be a bit out of place. Aria arched her brow as she entered, swinging the door shut as she walked towards the mismatched furniture.

"Hands where I can see 'em, sugar."

Aria froze, her heart going still at the sudden voice. From the back of the room, through a door Aria assumed must lead to the bathroom, came Adagio. The sound of her knee-high heels against the floor filled the silence as Aria took a moment to absorb what she saw. Fishnet leggings clung to her thick, sexy thighs, held in place by black garters. A navy blue skirt covered her bottom, if just barely, and her flat, toned, smooth stomach was left exposed by the crop of her blue button-down top. She wore a tie loosely around her neck, coming together with her dark shades, hat, and off-center police badge to create a look that gave the term "dirty cop" a whole new meaning. Her scarlet-painted lips spread into a sinister smirk as she took in Aria's expression, tapping her open palm with her baton in an almost taunting manner.

"I hear you've been up to no good," purred the officer. Adagio smirked wider as Aria failed to respond. "They called me to take you in."

"What's this all about?" A simple, four-word sentence and Aria could barely choke it out. She always was a sucker for a lady in uniform.

"Word on the street is you've been a bad girl, sugar." Adagio crossed the room, swinging her baton as she did, until she was looking down on Aria's smaller, more wiry frame. "It's my job to deal with bad girls like you."

"Right…" Aria gulped as Adagio gently placed the baton under her chin, tilting her face up and forcing their gazes to meet. She felt so small next to Adagio, so weak, defenseless. Adagio was in total control, and that was exactly what she wanted. "What does that mean?"

"It means…" Adagio's voice dropped to a low, breathy whisper, and she leaned in to kiss Aria on the neck. Aria could feel the warmth of Adagio's breath on her ear, the quiet whisper making her hair stand on end. "That you're under arrest."

Before Aria could formulate a response, she felt something cold and hard click around her wrist. She looked down, understandably concerned, her eyes going wide at the sight of a pair of handcuffs around her right arm. Adagio giggled at her confusion, twirling around her "suspect" and locking the other cuff into Aria's wrist. Now, with her arms bound behind her back, Aria was even more defenseless, something she hadn't previously thought to be possible.

"Take a seat while I work out your sentence." Adagio gently shoved Aria, sending her stumbling back into the seat. When she tried to move, Adagio kept her in place with her foot, gently pushing her back down with her shoe. With her leg raised, and the short nature of her skirt, Aria naturally felt her eyes drift downward, her perverted peeping halted by Adagio and her baton tilting her face back up. "Tsk. This is just the sort of naughty behavior that got you in trouble to start with."

"You said something about my 'sentence', right?" Aria squirmed, the idea of Adagio standing before her with her legs spread and her skirt up, yet being unable to sneak a peek, being akin to torture. "Isn't that usually the judge's job?"

"Oh, I see we have a smart-mouth here. But that's okay, sugar." Adagio climbed into Aria, straddling her lap, grabbing her blushing face under the chin and holding her in place. "I think we can find something better for that mouth of yours to do."

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Pleading guilty."

"I don't even know what I'm in for." Aria couldn't help but smirk at the admittedly silly situation. It made sense that Adagio would be interested in roleplay, even if Aria herself hadn't been expecting it. "Hard to feel bad for a crime I don't even know I committed."

"Your crime is simple, sugar." Adagio kissed Aria's collar, leaving faint lipstick marks up her neck as trailed up to her lips. "You're under arrest for forgetting the date…"

"The… date?"

"It's the third of March, sugar." Adagio began unbuttoning her top, slowly, sensually revealing more of her cleavage. "Six months since our first date."

"Oh." Aria swallowed her heart back down as it threatened to leap free. "Oh, shit…"

"'Oh, shit' is right. I promised to blow your mind, and that's what I'm going to do." Adagio pulled her top open completely, the only thing keeping her contained being a scanty black bra that was trying its best but fighting a losing battle. "So now, I'm going to strip you down and—"

The door swung open, bringing with it the bustle and noise of what appeared to be three electricians. They were so busy chatting to themselves, dragging in their equipment, that they didn't even see the couple in the middle of the room. Aria could feel Adagio's grip tighten on her shoulders, and she fought back a laugh.

For the first time, it looked like Adagio was the flustered one.

"Get that TV out of the way, we need to bust into that wall," said the lead electrician. He turned to direct his partners, jumping at the sight of the two women before him. "Uh…?"

"I love being watched as much as the next girl, but a bit of warning would be nice," growled Adagio. She whipped her head back, lowering her shades to glare at the workers. "I'm not sure if you realized, but we're in the middle of some very intricate foreplay."

"So sorry, ma'am. We didn't mean to bother you and your lady," said the electrician, still not entirely sure where to look. "Thing is, there's a wiring problem here, we have to deal with it before it becomes an even bigger issue."

"Could it perhaps wait until we've gone a few rounds?"

"You guys have no clue how long I've been waiting for this," sighed Aria. "Just give us like a half-hour?" Adagio snorted, looking down at Aria and arching her brow.

"You think I'm letting you go after only a half-hour?"

"Sorry, no can do. It's a fire hazard thing, you two shouldn't even be here," said the worker. "They said the room was empty."

"You have got to be fucking with me…" sighed Adagio. She very quickly buttoned her top and climbed off of Aria, turning to face the workers. "Fine. We'll be on our way. Come on, sugar."

"Right. Uh…" Aria pulled herself awkwardly to her feet, her arms still bound behind her. "You got a key for these or…?"

Adagio frowned as she produced a key from her belt and used it to free Aria from her bindings. After giving her a playful swat on the bottom, Adagio begrudgingly led the way out of the room, keeping Aria close behind her. They were quiet as they entered the hall, and as they filed into the elevator.

For several seconds, it was silent, save for the sound of the cheesy, generic pop elevator tune.

"Alright, so, obviously," sighed Adagio, burying her face in her palm. "That went much better in my head."

"You don't say?" snickered Aria. Adagio gave her a gentle shove, much to Aria's own amusement. "What's with the cop get-up?"

"Got hired for a birthday party. I don't normally do the costume thing, but they paid well and they paid upfront. Idiots got too drunk and stoned the night before, so no one actually showed up." Adagio adjusted her tie, straightening her outfit and making herself a bit more presentable. "Already paid for the costume, and I thought we could have some fun with it."

"Trust me, I was having fun." Aria scratched the back of her neck sheepishly. "I, uh, didn't realize we've been together for six whole months already."

"Time flies when you're having fun."

"So… that means you have been having fun?"

"Oh, sugar, I've been having a ball." Adagio leaned against the wall, frowning as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Not as much fun as I'm going to have dragging this second-rate hotel for this disaster…"

"I wouldn't say 'disaster', y'know?" snickered Aria. Adagio pouted like a little girl on the verge of a tantrum, her frustration at their sexy time being interrupted very much so amusing Aria. "Like I said, I had fun."

"I didn't even get to do my 'cavity search' bit…"

"Your what now?"

Before Adagio had a chance to elaborate, unlikely as that was, the elevator reached the bottom floor, at which point the couple stepped out into the lobby. After a few choice words with the concierge, who apologized profusely both for the mix-up and the lack of available rooms, Adagio grabbed Aria by the wrist and led her out of the hotel. Mr. Tie was waiting for them, holding the door open for the pair before claiming the driver's seat and starting up the car.

"Where to, Ms. Adagio?" he asked. Adagio pouted and frowned for a second before, quite strangely, she broke into a grin.

"Can you park us out back, Mr. Tie?" she asked. Aria caught a glimpse of Tie's arched brow in the rearview mirror, and it seemed the driver was just as confused as she was. Even still, Tie did as he was told, driving the car to a quiet corner of the hotel's parking lot. "Thank you, Mr. Tie."

"May I ask what this is about, ma'am?"

"Just me thinking. I realized I've had you running me around all day, getting things for this costume. It occurred to me that you didn't get a break today." Adagio grabbed her purse from her seat, digging through it and emerging with a sleek, black credit card, which she offered to her driver. "So why don't you go and have yourself a nice, long break. Get yourself something nice. My treat."

"Ma'am, I shouldn't just leave—"

"Mr. Tie, I insist," Adagio spoke a bit more firmly, pressing the card into Tie's hand. "Aria and I are perfectly fine here while you enjoy yourself. I'll call when we need you."

"Right… I see." Tie took the card and, with a tiny nod, stepped out of the car. "You two have a wonderful night."

"Oh, we will," said Adagio, waving as Tie departed. She glanced at Aria, licking her lips as she did. "We absolutely will. Thank you, Mr. Tie."

"Uh…. Aria watched the driver walk away, feeling the atmosphere change on a dime. It suddenly got hotter, more dangerous, more intimate. "So. What's next—?"

At perhaps the most inopportune of times, Aria's phone rang. Aria pulled it out, looking at who was calling. To her surprise, it wasn't Sonata, but an unknown number, which should have been a no-brainer. Just decline it. Yet, for some reason, Aria felt compelled to answer. It seemed familiar. Or maybe she was just afraid of what was coming next, once she was free of this distraction.

"It's an unknown call." Aria showed Adagio her screen. "Think I should answer it or…?"

"You want to know what I think?" Adagio grabbed the phone and swiped her thumb against the screen, setting it to Do Not Disturb before tossing it to the passenger seat. "I think we should make out."

"Oh. Okay, I—"

Adagio jumped into Aria's lap, grabbing her around the back of the head and pulling their lips together. Aria was more than happy to let Adagio take the driver's seat in the situation, melting into the seat as Adagio kissed her. She could feel Adagio on top of her, weighing her down, her hands wandering across Aria's slender frame. Aria gasped for air, each breath stolen away by Adagio's tongue.

"Take off your top," breathed Adagio, breaking away from Aria for just a moment. Aria hummed in compliance, pulling her shirt over her head with Adagio's assistance. Aria shuddered at the sensation of Adagio's nails against her skin, running up her back to unbuckle her simple black bra. The garment fell from Aria's body, freeing her pert, frankly tiny breasts from their confines. Adagio was on her immediately, squeezing Aria's chest, brushing her nipples with her fingers.

Aria moaned, just a brief, breathy, quiet moan, but that was all Adagio needed for a target; She pulled away and dove her head down a bit, taking Aria's nipple into her mouth and giving her a firm, yet gentle, suckle. She nipped Aria's tender flesh ever so gently with her teeth, the sensation shooting through Aria like a bolt of lightning through her core. She jerked away from Adagio, panting and choking down air while Adagio just laughed.

"Too much for you, sugar?" giggled Adagio. "We can go back to just kissing if you want."

"You're just a little… intense," breathed Aria. "And, y'know…"

"Been a while?"

"Yeah… There's no toy that sucks your tit for you." Aria chuckled sheepishly, unable to stop herself from blushing at the way Adagio was looking at her. Like she was a hunk of meat. "Or if there is, I don't have one."

"Mh-hm. Well, don't worry, sugar," purred Adagio. She reached down and slowly unbuckled Aria's jeans, creeping her hand into her pants. "A little bit of rust is no issue. Just let me handle it…"

Adagio's sleek fingers slipped past Aria's panties, brushing her clit as she rubbed Aria's slit. Another moan from Aria seemed to motivate Adagio, who rubbed faster, keeping in time with Aria's breathing. With her other hand, Adagio pinched and teased at Aria's nipples, relishing in the way Aria squirmed and moaned at her hand. The heat was building between the two, the close, intimate, if a bit cramped nature of their backseat rendezvous elevating it to a level that Aria was unlikely to forget.

"You don't have to worry about any toys either. You don't have to worry about touching yourself with my panties under your nose, or to half-nude pictures of me." Adagio slid her middle finger into Aria's twat, rolling her clit with her thumb and sending quakes through her body. "In fact, you don't have to worry about touching yourself at all, sugar. You know why?"

"W-why?" panted Aria. She gasped as Adagio slipped another finger inside her, slowly pumping deeper and deeper. "Oh, fuck…"

"Because you have me now. And that means I have you. And that means that I have… this." Adagio flexed her fingers, giggling sinisterly at the way Aria tensed and twitched around her fingers. "This pussy is mine. Do you understand me? All mine."

"Yes…"

"Say it. I want to hear you say it." Adagio's voice was low, husky, almost a growl. She pumped her fingers faster, squeezing another moan out of Aria. "Say it, sugar."

"It's yours…" Aria's ears burned, more than a bit embarrassed, but she didn't care just then. All she wanted right then was Adagio to take her, claim her for her own. "It's your pussy…"

"Damn right, it is. It's mine to play with, just like you," cooed Adagio. She worked her fingers faster, drilling Aria to her very core. "Your pussy, your every moan, your every twitch. All of it, mine." She kissed Aria on the neck, nipping at her collar in between sentences. "I'm going to make you cum right here, and I want to hear you say my name when it happens. Got it?"

"Yes…"

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, ma'am," moaned Aria. Adagio stopped her hand completely, leaving Aria gasping for more than just air. "W-what…?"

"Close, but not quite. Come on, sugar, you should be able to figure it out." Adagio kissed Aria, invading her mouth with her tongue before pulling away, nibbling on Aria's bottom lip as she did. "What do you think I want to hear?"

"I… Oh." Aria blushed as the realization dawned on her, which seemed to be enough for Adagio to continue pumping her fingers in and out of Aria's pussy. Aria bit her lip as Adagio fingered her closer and closer to the edge, taking in a shuddering breath before finally letting it out. "Yes, Mommy…"

"There's a good girl."

Adagio sent her hand into overtime, schlicking Aria so deep and fast that she felt as though her brain was melting. Aria's hips jerked of their own volition, her body twitching and jumping and humping Adagio's hand. There was no hiding it, both girls could see it as clear as day: Aria was close.

"F-fuck…" moaned Aria. She slammed her thighs together around Adagio's hand, gripping the leather seat tightly as her orgasm descended upon her. "Adagio! God, yes, Adagio…"

Even as Adagio felt Aria tense, she didn't stop. She kept her hand moving just as fast, perhaps even faster, carrying Aria throughout her climax. The pleasure came in waves, crashing down onto Aria one after the other. Aria felt her body quiver, her trembling increasing in conjunction with Adagio's fingers. Aria grabbed Adagio by the arm, fruitlessly trying to slow her down.

"W-wait… I'm gonna cum again…" Even as Aria spoke, Adagio kept her fingers going, kissing and sucking at the tender flesh of Aria's neck. "Adagio, please…"

"Sing for me, sugar."

With that, Aria gave up on trying to slow Adagio down, deciding it was pointless. She gave herself up to Adagio, letting the dancer bring her to another climax. It felt like being hit by a ton of bricks, stars dancing in Aria's eyes, her mind going blank. She couldn't think, couldn't speak, couldn't do anything more than twitch and tense and moan around her girlfriend's fingers. Then, another freight train of an orgasm smashed into Aria, just as intense as the first two.

"Let's get one more out of you," purred Adagio. She returned her attention to Aria's breasts, being much gentler to her nipples than before. Instead of biting and sucking, Adagio licked and kissed Aria's tender nipple, keeping the electric sensation going throughout Aria's entire body.

"I… I don't know if… I can take… One more…" Aria was exhausted, just barely choking down her breaths. Her mouth had gone dry, and she was in desperate need of a drink of water. Even still, she couldn't deny how much she wanted this, how much she wanted more. She felt like she was dying, but she loved every single second.

Besides, everybody dies, and Aria figured there are worse ways to go out than in the backseat of an expensive car getting finger-blasted by her sexy stripper girlfriend.

"Well, we're about to find out, aren't we?" Adagio gave Aria a wink, finally sliding in a third finger and pistoning Aria's pussy without an ounce of remorse. Aria thought her body was done before, but now, every flick and tense of Adagio's hand felt magnified by ten. No matter how tired and spent she thought she was, Adagio was determined to get one last climax out of Aria, and that's precisely what she did.

Aria gripped Adagio tightly, holding her close as she came for the fourth time. Adagio finally stopped her hand, letting Aria ride out the rest of her orgasm. When Aria was done with the bulk of her quivering, Adagio pulled her hand up and licked her fingers clean, smirking at the exhaustion in Aria's eyes.

"Worth the wait?" asked Adagio. Aria nodded slowly, slumping in her seat.

"I'm just gonna… catch my breath…" Aria panted heavily, barely able to keep her eyes open. "That was… awesome."

"Glad to hear it, sugar." Adagio slid off of Aria's lap, reaching to the front seat to grab Aria's phone. By the time she returned to deliver it, Aria was already asleep. Adagio smirked to herself, producing her own phone from her pocket and sending out a quick call before putting it to her ear.

"Is everything alright, ma'am?"

"Absolutely. We're ready to go home now, if you don't mind." Adagio spared Aria one last look, snickering to herself. "Oh, and could you grab a towel on your way back? We may have made a bit of a mess back here."

Mz. Hyde

Aria slowly turned over in bed, pulling the luxurious silk sheets to her chest and letting the comfort wrap her up. Just five more minutes, she swore, then she would get out of bed. Something about her sheets and her bed felt especially comfortable, and she didn’t particularly want to leave its confines. The silk and satin, the calming music from the next room, the scent of lavender and lilac, it was all so luxurious. Too luxurious.

Her eyes went open, and she shot upright in a bed that she suddenly realized was not hers. If the expensive nature of the bedding wasn’t a dead giveaway, the floor length windows that made up the wall opposite of the bed was. Aria rolled out of bed, topless save for her bra yet still in her jeans from the night before, and approached the windows. A beautiful view, looking down at the entire city and watching the sun slowly rise over the concrete jungle.

“The fuck?” Aria scratched her head at the situation, trying to piece things together. She didn’t think she’d ever see a penthouse apartment like this from the inside unless she decided to pick up a celebrity magazine, yet, here she was. She had her suspicions as to how she had got there, and so she followed the sound of music out of the room and down the hall to the kitchen and living area.

The living room split into a small kitchenette, where a coffee machine was running, had everything from a large fridge to a fully stocked bar. The living room housed a luxurious couch that Aria wagered cost as much as three months of her rent, a massive flatscreen television and entertainment system, the stereos of which were playing the music Aria had been hearing.

Most interestingly was the small stage area in the corner, where a sleek metal pole ran from the ceiling to the floor. The curvy, sensual, nude form of Adagio was slowly swinging around that pole, sashaying her hips and showing off her tattoos and the small beauty mark under her breast. The most of the dancer's body Aria had ever seen. It was then, as Aria stared at Adagio's perfect body swaying around the pole for her own private striptease, did she remember exactly what went down the previous night.

"Nice place," noted Aria, hoping to get Adagio's attention. While it was obvious that Adagio heard her, she kept dancing as if she had not. "How'd we end up here?"

"You were so out of it last night, I had Mr. Tie carry you up here for me," said Adagio, not pausing her routine for even a second. "Didn't want to drop you on your doorstep for Sonata to find, and it would be terribly rude to leave you in the backseat of my car, so… Welcome to my little bachelorette pad."

"Thanks for having me." Aria crossed her arms over her chest, unable to tear her eyes from Adagio for even a second. "Do you always poledance to start your day or is this a treat for me?"

"Bit of both. I have to stay in practice somehow, and it's great exercise." Adagio held onto the pole for support, bringing her right leg straight up into a vertical split against the pole and leaning back to smirk at Aria. "I normally wear clothes though."

"Heh. Listen, about last night…"

"Hm? What happened last night?"

"You, uh… Rocked my world, a little bit," said Aria with a blush. Adagio turned herself upside down, holding onto the pole with a leg and gesturing for more. "You… Geez, are you really gonna make me go into detail?"

"You mean when I owned your pussy and made you mine?" said Adagio with a grin.

"Y-yeah… What I was trying to get at is… Sorry."

"Hm?" Adagio paused, mid-spin, and flipped upright and to the floor. In a rare twist of fate, now she was the one confused and concerned. "What do you have to be sorry for?"

"I passed out before I could, y'know. Reciprocate." Aria blushed at the way Adagio giggled at her. "I just… I'm not normally like that. If I'm getting off, I feel like whoever I'm with should get off too."

"Just because you didn't finger-fuck my soul from my body like I did to you doesn't mean I didn't 'get off', sugar," laughed Adagio. "If I wanted you to make me cum last night, I would have let you know, but that's not what that was about. That was about finally breaking that dry spell of yours."

"Consider it broken. Still… I wanna make you feel good, too."

"Oh, aren't you just precious? Trust and believe, sugar, hearing you moan my name last night definitely made me feel good. Better than you can imagine." Adagio stepped down from the stage, wrapping her arms around Aria's waist and pulling her in for a kiss. "But, if you're hellbent on paying me back… Well, I have some shopping planned today that I think will help us out there."

"We talking shoes or like…?"

"Sugar, we both know I'm too much of a perv to be talking about shoes right now." Adagio gave Aria a gentle swat to the ass, smirking at the tiny moan that escaped her. "Mr. Tie will be here in an hour, coffee is almost ready, and I have a fresh outfit for you in the bathroom. So why don't you hit the shower, we get some breakfast, and then we find some fun little toys for us to play with?"

"Right… Where's your bathroom, exactly?"

"Back in the bedroom, door on the right."

"Alright, then. Thanks," said Aria. She turned to go back the way she came, pausing after a few steps. She turned back to face Adagio, nervously chuckling as she did. "You wanna maybe, I dunno… Join me?"

"I've already showered, sugar," said Adagio, giving the most innocent, and blatantly fabricated, smile Aria had ever seen. The smile slipped into something a touch more sinister. "Oh, and don't do something silly like try to rub one out in the shower. You save that for me." She blew Aria a kiss, stopping her heart in her chest. "I'll know if you did…"

Aria really, truly, genuinely believed that, by this point in their relationship, she would have discovered some sort of defense against Adagio’s sensual charm. Yet, somehow, a few choice words still managed to make Aria’s knees weak.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Even after a hot shower and some coffee to wake her up, Aria still found it incredibly difficult to focus on breakfast with Adagio across the table from her.

To her credit, Adagio was mostly innocent, sipping her coffee and munching on her avocado toast without much fanfare. The fact that her blouse was so incredibly low-cut that she threatened to pop out of it if she sneezed too hard was entirely coincidental. Even if Adagio was covered from head to toe like a nun (the very thought of which, in and of itself, was giving Aria some incredibly vivid fantasies and flashbacks to Catholic school), Aria would be hard-pressed to think about anything except the coming shopping spree.

“Siren’s Call, hm?” hummed Adagio, looking out at the sex shop as Mr. Tie parked them before it. “Any particular reason you chose this place?”

“I, uh… I already have a membership here,” admitted Aria. “They’ve got a good selection.”

"I hope so. Let's go, sugar."

Aria and Adagio slid out of the car, approaching the vibrant pink shop. A bit embarrassingly, the cashier called out to Aria by name, displaying just how well-known she was at this shop. Adagio just chuckled, nudging Aria as they strolled past row after row of various dildos, vibrators, pocket pussies, and more.

"So, what kind of toys do you like?" asked Aria. Adagio shrugged. "Okay… So how did you get off with your last… partner?"

"His dick," said Adagio with a snicker. "And I put his tongue to work, too."

"Wait… Am I the first chick you've ever been with?"

"Yep."

"How is that possible? How did you…" Aria paused, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Do that last night?"

"I'm a natural," laughed Adagio. "Mainly did what I would like. Aside from that… I googled some tips on my phone before my cop routine."

"Shit, that reminds me…" Aria pulled out her phone, turning it off of Do Not Disturb. Over a dozen missed calls and texts from the night before came cascading in. "Yeah, figured… Sonata called a bunch, she's probably worried. I better call back." After a nod from Adagio, Aria dialed the number and put the phone to her ear once the line connected. "Hey, don't freak out."

"Too late!" said Sonata. "You just totally vanished last night, you said you'd be back before me, but after my 'date' with Devin, you weren't home and…" Sonata gasped in surprise, some pieces falling into place all of a sudden. "Oh my God!"

"Oh no…"

"You totally fucked Adagio last night, didn't you?!"

"I can hear her," noted Adagio. She grinned. "Tell her it was me who fucked you."

"Nata, I'm in public, I'm not gonna talk about this right now," said Aria firmly. Naturally, Sonata proceeded to ignore this declaration.

"You gotta tell me everything! How was it? What did you guys do? Where? What did she say, what did you say, what—"

"Sonata, I promise I'll tell you all about it in graphic detail when I get home, but right now I'm not—"

"I thought I heard someone familiar!"

A chill ran down Aria's spine, her heart stopping in her chest in a way very different than how Adagio could make her feel. This was dread, true fear and disbelief and a million other things that Aria couldn't quite place. She slowly turned in the direction of the voice, her eyes falling on its source. Some part of Aria prayed beyond reason that she was wrong, but there was no mistaking it once she saw her.

She seemed taller than Aria remembered, almost matching Adagio's height. Her hair was shorter than before, only about ear-length, the fiery red and yellow locks shaved down at the back and sides in a sort of pixie cut. Her lip was pierced by a single, small, silver ring, a remnant of the punk rock style that she had poorly attempted to rid herself of as she got older. She smiled at Aria, oozing confidence, as she approached, stopping a few paces from the couple. Aria swallowed in an attempt to keep her heart in her body, while Adagio simply watched with an arched brow.

"Wait…" Aria had temporarily forgotten that she was on the phone until Sonata piped up. "That sounds like…"

"I'll call you back, Nata," said Aria, nervously ending her call. She took in a breath and waited a beat before continuing. "Hey, Sunset. Been a while."

"Ages, it feels like. What are the odds that I come here and bump into you, of all people?" Sunset Shimmer laughed and, as if under some form of duress, Aria soon joined her. After a spell, Sunset's eyes met those of Adagio's, and her grin only grew. "Who's this hottie?"

"Oh, this is my, uh… My friend. Adagio." Aria flashed a look to Adagio that was equal parts apologetic and screaming for help. "Adagio, this is Sunset. We used to date."

"Used to do a lot more than that."

"Nice to meet you, Sunset." Adagio offered her hand with a polite smile, and Sunset shook it just as politely. "Aria's told me all about you."

"Damn, I sure hope not," said Sunset. Aria chuckled nervously, clearing her throat in an attempt to steady herself.

"Uh… What are you doing here?" asked Aria.

"Buying a new vibrator, what's it look like?"

"I meant in this country. Weren't you supposed to be moving to Sweden?" Aria blushed, sweating profusely and averting her eyes. "With, uh… Twilight?"

"Oh, yeah, things didn't work out with me and her. Ironic, huh?" Sunset laughed, but the frown on Aria's face made it very clear that she was not in on the joke. "We split a few months back, I decided to come back here to look for work, maybe reconnect with some old friends. I called you last night, by the way, but you didn't pick up."

"Oh. Yeah, well… I lost your number after we split up, and I didn't recognize it when—"

As casually as can be, Sunset swiped Aria's phone from her hand. She maneuvered through her call log, whistling as Aria was powerless to stop her. After a minute, she passed the phone back to Aria, who fought to hide her frown. Now, she had a new contact. "Sunny <3" was now saved to her phone, making it impossible to miss when she was calling.

"There, now you'll remember. We gotta get together sometime, catch up on old times," said Sunset. She looked back at Adagio, as if only then remembering she was there. "Maybe the three of us can grab dinner? Aria doesn't make friends with just anybody, so you're bound to be interesting. As for me, well, I can be a little all over the place." She nudged Aria playfully. "What was it you said to me when we broke up? There's two Sunsets?"

"Yep. Two Sunsets," sighed Aria. "And no way to be sure which girl you'll get tonight."

"Well, trust me. I'm the good one, I swear," laughed Sunset. She glanced down at her watch, whistling at the time. "Shit, I gotta go. I'll call you later to make dinner plans! Maybe get Sony over, too. Just like old times."

Sunset leaned in and kissed Aria on the forehead before waving goodbye and going on her merry way. For a few moments, Aria didn't move, afraid to see what Adagio thought of things. When she finally did turn to see her, she was thoroughly surprised that Adagio was smiling.

"So that was Sunset?" asked Adagio, a light bit of laughter in her voice.

"Y-yeah. Don't stress over the kiss thing, she does that to everyone," said Aria, wiping any potential lipstick from her forehead. She waited nervously, getting herself in order before continuing. "What do you think of her?"

"I've known her for approximately 90 seconds and yet there is no combination of 26 letters to come together to make a word that accurately captures how much I hate this bitch."

"Oh. Well…" Aria was now even more concerned than before. "Then why are you smiling?"

"Because she doesn't get to have you anymore. I do." Adagio pulled Aria in close, grabbing her crotch through her jeans. "And seeing my competition got me fired up. So let's grab some stuff and get out of here before I drop your jeans and fuck you right in the middle of this aisle."

Aria gulped, her mind currently distracted from Sunset entirely.

"Do you have any idea how hot you are?"

"Why don't we sneak off to a dressing room so you can show me?"

"Um… Maybe some other time." Aria pulled away from Adagio, which clearly wasn't what the dancer had expected. "Seeing Sunny again is bringing back some memories."

"Memories about fucking in a dressing room?" asked Adagio.

"Yeah, actually. Like I said, can we talk more about it another time?" Aria went stiff, turning away from Adagio to hide her face. "It's still tough. You know?"

"You don't have to tell me anything before you're ready." Adagio grabbed her gently by the hand, pulling Aria close. "You still up for dildo shopping? Because if you'd rather go home, we can do this another time."

"You sure? You sounded excited to get new toys."

"I've got the only toy I'm worried about right here, sugar." She pinched Aria's cheek, successfully earning her a smirk. "Call Sonata, we can all meet up at your place. I'm hindsight, I didn't give you a whole lot of time to recover from last night. Maybe a day in with friends is what we need."

"Yeah, that makes sense." Aria stood a little more confidently, pulling her phone out to redial Sonata's number. "Thanks, babe."

"Don't mention it, sugar," said Adagio. She pulled Aria forward, leading her confidently to the front of the store. "Tell Sonata to make more of that hot cocoa. Something tells me we're going to want to get cozy for storytime."

"So she's just back now?" asked Sonata.

Aria sighed, throwing her head back against the couch. Her hot cocoa sat on the coffee table, mostly untouched, while Sonata sat across from her with a mug in her hand and a concerned frown on her face. It wasn't until Adagio returned from the kitchen with a fresh mug of cocoa, sliding into the couch and curling up against Aria, did the latter look forward at her long-time friend.

"It's like she never left," sighed Aria. "She's not bitter or spiteful or anything. She even laughed at an old fight we had. If you didn't know the story, you'd think the two of us were just old friends."

"That's totally nuts." Sonata glanced to Adagio, who maintained a cool, controlled aura to her. "And what do you think of her, Ada?"

"I don't like to make a habit of flexing my wealth, but I would happily pay a large sum of money to make her disappear." Adagio sipped her cocoa, not realizing the concern on the others' faces until the silence hung in the air for a few beats. "What?"

"Are you saying you're gonna put a hit out on her?" asked Sonata.

"Of course not. I'm saying I could, and it's very, very tempting," said Adagio. Again, there were a few awkward beats of silence before she rolled her eyes. "I'm joking. About the hit, not about disliking Sunset. I can't stand her."

"Just cause she's my ex?" asked Aria.

"Have you ever grabbed a Coke from the fridge and realize after you take a sip that you grabbed a Diet Coke by mistake?" Adagio watched the two nod. "It's like that. That girl is phony, and she's not here to just be friends."

"You think she might be trying to get back with me?" snorted Aria. Adagio just shrugged. "Yeah, not a chance. You clearly don't know how we split."

"Only because you haven't told me."

"You never asked."

"My mistake, should I have asked about your messy breakup after your second or third orgasm?"

"Damn, three times?" laughed Sonata from the loveseat. "Looks like you've got a girl who knows what she's doing!"

"Once you get Aria around your finger like I do, she melts like ice cream on the sidewalk," said Adagio, grinning devilishly. "I would've gotten more than just three if she hadn't passed out."

"Can we not do this?" Aria's face was simply radiating heat, enough to cook an egg by this point. "It was the outfit, I—"

"Outfit?" asked Sonata. Adagio pulled out her phone and flipped through a few screens.

"Sexy cop." Adagio turned her phone to Sonata, showing off one of the selfies she took before Aria arrived at the hotel.

"Wow, you look good!" Sonata leaned forward a bit. "Uh… I can see your booby. Left nipple is showing."

"Hm?" After glancing back at the screen, Adagio shrugged and put the phone in her pocket. "Oh well. Nothing you two haven't seen before. I showed Aria my tits before I knew her name."

There was the ringing of a phone, but it wasn't Adagio's. It was Aria's, and everyone in the room was fairly sure they knew who it was on the other end. After a second, Aria pulled out the phone just to confirm what they all knew; Sunset. She looked first to Sonata, then to Adagio, before finally answering the phone.

"Hey, Sunny. Uh, you're on speaker." Thinking quickly, Aria put the phone on speaker, so as to ensure she had backup if she needed it. "Adagio and Sonata are here."

"Hey, girls! Look, can't talk much, in the middle of an errand," said Sunset. "But we were talking about lunch earlier, and I wanted to know if you guys would be down for tomorrow? Just passed Romeo's on my way to my apartment, got hit with this wave of nostalgia. Their eggplant parm was to die for."

"Uh… I don't know, Sunset. Adagio?" Aria glanced to Adagio, begging and pleading with her to help. "What do you think? Are you, uh, free?"

"How does 1 PM sound?" said Adagio suddenly. Both Sonata and Aria's eyes went wide in shock, so surprised that they couldn't even argue. "I'd love to get to know you better."

"Sounds perfect. Meet you there?"

"It's a date."

"Okay, awesome. I gotta let you go now. Bye Nata, Ada. And Aria?" Sunset paused for a half beat before quite audibly blowing a kiss through the phone. "That's for you. For old time's sake."

Just as quickly as it started, it was over. Aria turned to Adagio, tilting her head and examining the dancer as if she had suddenly sprouted a second head.

"I thought you hated her," said Aria.

"Oh, I do, sugar. But I'm also not stupid. I know how to play this game," said Adagio with a snort. "She doesn't want to have lunch with us. She wants to know if we're an item, by seeing if I'd let you go."

"So… you're letting me go to do what exactly?"

"To see why she wants to know so badly. And, once I do, I'll know what she's playing at. Then, she'll know not to touch what's mine." Adagio coiled up against Aria, nuzzling against her chest. "You have to wake up pretty early in the morning if you're going to pull one over on me. I'm not letting her fuck with either of us, and that's a promise."

"I guess you thought it out more than me. I'm still kinda shook that she's even here. After she left, I thought I'd never see her again." Aria sighed, tossing her phone into the coffee table. "Before I met you, I hoped I would, and now that she's back… my brain just freezes."

"I'm going to ask you a question, and it's very important that you understand that this isn't a trap. It's not a trick or a test. I want you to be honest." Adagio sat up and turned to face Aria, looking her straight in the eyes not with any of her usual teasing or pageantry or sultry allure. This look was nothing but compassion, connection, and understanding, and it made Aria's knees go weak all the same. "Be honest. Do you still have feelings for Sunset?"

Aria opened her mouth to say the obvious answer, but she stopped. She stopped because, the longer she thought about it, the less obvious the answer appeared. After lying to herself for so long, convincing herself that she was over it when she wasn't, Aria wasn't entirely sure what she felt. What was real, and what was just a manner of coping with the heartbreak? She couldn't say no, give the answer she desperately wanted to give, because the simple fact was that Aria didn't know.

"I was going to marry her. I had a ring, I had the date all planned out, everything," said Aria, a slight tinge of pain in her voice. It was like she had stubbed her toe, but rather than treat it, she just walked through the pain. "Even when our relationship was melting, I thought it would all be fixed when I asked her to marry me. We were gonna buy a house, and adopt a kid, and get old together and… in a ten minute argument, that all went up in smoke."

"I know you said you don't want to talk about it, but I want to know how I can help you," said Adagio. "Please. Tell me what happened."

"Not even I really know," admitted Sonata. Aria glanced up at her, as if surprised to know she was still there. "You two need some alone time to talk? Cause I can go."

"No. You kept me together this whole time, you deserve to hear it too," said Aria. She almost begrudgingly grabbed her cocoa and took a healthy sip. "So, uh… I guess this is kinda important to mention. I didn't lose my virginity until I hooked up with Sunset."

"Why would that be important?" asked Adagio.

"Cause I was still figuring myself out, and Sunset was, like… Experienced, I guess."

"She was a slut. Since, like, high school," said Sonata, rolling her eyes. Now, it was her attracting stares. "What? She ran through the entire basketball team and half the cheerleaders before prom. And I know, glass house or whatever, but it takes one to know one!"

"The point is, she knew what she liked and I had no fucking clue. So, she 'helped' me. Or, I guess, she helped herself. She had a dominant personality, is a way to say it. She wanted to be able to have her way with me?"

"Like me?" asked Adagio with a frown. Aria shook her head.

"She would call me names and stuff. Slut, bitch, whatever." Aria blushed a bit at the memories, still finding herself embarrassed by how much a bit of name-calling had bothered her. "I wasn't really into it, but I never said anything, because I just thought that was what you did. Relationships are about compromise, right?"

"That's not compromise."

"Well, I was dumb and in love, so I just went with it. When the name-calling wasn't enough, she started trying to get me off in public. First it was the bathroom, then a dressing room. One time, even at dinner." Aria shrunk down, shaking her head at Sunset, at herself, and at her past. "With my parents… Well, I really didn't like that. I wasn't ready, I was scared, and uncomfortable, but Sunset didn't care. She got her rocks off from watching me squirm in public, and I always got to cum at the end, so what do I have to complain about?"

"That sounds… Wrong," noted Sonata.

"Understatement of the year," agreed Adagio. She patted Aria gently, urging her to continue. "Go on, sugar."

"Eventually, I just couldn't keep going. So I told her. We argued about it for a while. She said I was being judgmental and kinkshaming her." Though long ago, Aria could still remember how she felt when Sunset had finally pushed her to a point where she couldn't keep going. It was this queasy, greasy feeling, deep in her gut. "And I guess I was, in hindsight. But after that, we made up, and we came to a deal, this unspoken agreement. Since I wasn't willing to humor her anymore, then that meant I should have to focus extra hard on… pleasing her… in bed. It sounded reasonable at the time, but… Dumb and in love, I guess.

"She wouldn't touch me for the longest time at that point. And I don't just mean sexually. She stopped kissing me, stopped holding my hand, stopped cuddling. Whenever we had sex, which wasn't super often anymore, it was always me getting her off. And I'll be honest, I started to get a little bitter. It felt so shitty, to have a long day at work, come back home to the woman that's supposed to be my soulmate, and she just rides my face and goes to bed after. I felt kinda… Entitled, I guess. Like she owed me, somehow."

"I don't think it's unreasonable to expect human contact and compassion in a relationship, sugar." Adagio tried to hide her frown, but she was quite unsuccessful in that regard. "I think you're allowed to feel entitled to the sensation that your girlfriend loves you."

"Sunset didn't see it like that. The way she saw it, I had belittled her sexuality, and this is what happens after. I tried to tell her that I just couldn't take another night of being called a useless bitch while I damn near worshipped her, and she told me to learn the difference between reality and fantasy. Said I was making a big deal out of nothing. We fought about that a lot. Coincidentally, around this time, a chick named Twilight showed up. An old friend, she told me. Best friend. So close that, whenever me and Sunny got into it with each other, it was Twilight who came to calm Sunny down. She'd sometimes sleep at Twilight's when we had a really bad fight. And, you know, funnily enough, she ended up asking me to go down on her a lot less after they reconnected."

"Ah. I think I see where this is going…" sighed Adagio. "You poor thing…"

"Here's what an idiot I am, though. I'm so head over heels that I still think us getting married would fix it. And our anniversary was coming up, so I said 'yeah, this is it. This is how I solve all of our problems'. I make dinner, her favorites, get some champagne, and…" Aria looked as if she was tearing up at this point. "Nothing. Skips the whole thing. She shows up at like midnight, smelling like weed, cheap whiskey and perfume that definitely isn't hers. So I snapped. I called her out for the way she treated me, how she tried to guilt trip me, and finally I said what I had been thinking for months but just didn't have the balls to say. I accused her of cheating on me."

"And?" Aria rubbed her eyes, at which point Adagio pulled her closer, patting her shoulder and embracing her. "It's okay, sugar. Take your time."

"Nothing wrong with crying, if that's what you want to do," said Sonata. "You've always been such a certified tough guy, but no one is gonna think less of you if you just need to let it out."

"She said she never slept with Twilight while we were together. She said I was petty, jealous, pathetic. And she said…" Aria's voice cracked a bit and, despite the encouragement, she still found herself fighting back tears. "She said she never cheated on me, but she wished she did. She said she wished she would've fucked Twilight right in our bed, and she wished I would've caught them. Just so she could see my face. Then she slammed the door in my face and ran off to Twilight." Finally, Aria felt the tears go free as she tried to combat the memories. She could still feel the venom in Sunset's words, stabbing her through the heart and bringing her to her knees. "So yeah. That was the last time I saw Sunset before today. I drove her off, right into another girl's arms. And it was all my fault."

"No way!"

"Bullshit."

"It's true. If I would've just grit my teeth and dealt with her better, or if I had just had an open mind, maybe things would've been different."

"What you just described to us is called gaslighting, sugar. There is no possible way anyone could look at this and say it was 'all your fault'," said Adagio. She grabbed Aria's phone and quickly found Sunset's number, putting it into her own phone. "I'm cancelling lunch. If I see her the way I'm feeling right now, I'll end up arrested."

"What happened to wanting to figure out what she wanted?"

"That was before I realized how she treated you. This whole time, I thought it was as simple as a horny pig juggling two girls."

"Seriously, Ari, that is majorly messed up," said Sonata. "I had no idea it was that serious back then."

"I never said anything. If I said it out loud, then it became real, you know?" Aria let out a sigh, pushing herself to her feet. "I'm gonna get a drink. A stiff one. Anyone want anything?"

"Well, I suppose that depends," said Adagio. "Will you be sending me home tonight?"

"Huh?"

"Mr. Tie doesn't like to see me drunk, so if we're doing heavy drinking, I'd rather not call for a ride." It went quiet for a spell, with Aria clearly trying to figure Adagio out. "I'm asking if I could stay the night, sugar."

"Oh. Oh! Yeah, totally! That sounds really cool," said Aria. "Uh… You mean, like… With me?"

"Well, I'll take the couch, but what you said seems more romantic."

"Right. Duh. Why would you be asking to sleep… on my couch…" Aria felt like the world's biggest idiot, a common sensation when around Adagio. "You know what, I'm gonna go get the tequila before I put my mouth in my foot again." Aria slapped her forehead as she heard the words she had just said. "Son of a bitch… I'm going."

"How in the world did a dork like Aria manage to lock down a hottie like you?" giggled Sonata, watching as a blushing Aria essentially ran to the kitchen. Adagio cracked a grin, shaking her head.

"Aria doesn't act like some big tough guy. She doesn't try to make me think that she's above being interested in me," said Adagio. "She's quite open about how I make her feel like an absolute idiot, and I think there's a certain strength to that honesty. She's always just Aria, flaws and all, and I respect that." Adagio thought about it and then laughed. "Her moans are adorable, too, which definitely helps."

"Almost forgot! You have to tell me everything!"

"Don't worry, sugar. Mama remembers every last detail…"

Back From The Dead

Aria had never considered herself to be particularly optimistic.

Even as far back as when they were kids, Sonata would often complain that Aria always expected the worst of a situation. Never half-full, never on the bright side. Just ceaseless, slightly depressing pessimism. Of course, Aria countered this argument by saying she was normally right to never count on catching a break, but it didn't change the fact that Aria was rarely prepared for good things to happen to her. Therefore, when they did, she didn't know exactly how to react.

Nowadays, Aria was routinely exposed to the best thing to ever happen to her, and that best thing was just finishing her set when Aria returned from the bar.

"There's my girl," purred Adagio as she hopped off of the stage. She cut a swath through the crowd of heart-eyed gentlemen, who showered her with praise, flirtations, and, in more than a few cases, tips that went directly into her waistband. She smiled as she neared Aria, eyes locked on either of the two glasses she held. "One of those wouldn't happen to be for me, would they?"

"You think I'm bold enough to come to your work and buy another girl a drink?" Aria handed off the old-fashioned she got from the bar and leaned in to give Adagio a kiss on the cheek. "Nice routine, by the way. Crowd ate you up tonight."

"Thanks, sugar. Really means a lot to me that you're here." She clinked her glass against Aria's before taking a sip. "I hope you're not uncomfortable seeing me like this."

"You think that seeing you, my incredibly attractive girlfriend, taking her clothes off, would make me uncomfortable?"

"I meant the 'in front of strangers' part, sugar."

"Right. Well, they can look, but can they do this?" Before Adagio had a chance to ask what "this" was, Aria brought their lips together and kissed her deeply and passionately. There were a few drunken stares from horny passers-by, but Aria ignored them in favor of Adagio. When they broke apart, they both had that familiar, punch-drunk grin that normally preceded some messy alone time. "And I didn't even have to tip you for that."

"My, someone's bold today," snickered Adagio. “You’ve been so tired from work lately, but now? Looks like you’re back from the dead.”

"What can I say? Had a good day." Aria pulled Adagio close, one arm wrapped around her wide, sensual hips. "Hoping for a good night, too. Think you could help me out?"

"Hm… I think I might be able to do that for you."

"Sweet. Your place or mine?"

"Actually, sugar… was wondering if you had it in you to hit up one more spot," said Adagio. Though Aria took point with the kiss, Adagio very quickly and easily regained control of the situation by grabbing Aria's hand and gently leading her towards the door. "A business partner of mine is holding a rave at a place called The Steeple, not too far from here. She asked me to swing by to give the party a little boost."

"You performing?"

"Please, sugar. Me being there is enough to turn a party from a 7 to a 10, no problem. I'm just there for some eye candy, maybe some cross-promotion." Adagio leaned in close and whispered into Aria's ear. "And for Mommy to show off her good girl to her friends…"

"Y-you really know how to sell it, huh?" chuckled Aria nervously, that familiarly intoxicating chill running down her spine. "Alright, I'm down. Let's go."

Adagio chuckled airily, beckoning Aria to follow her out of the club. Of course, Aria needed very little convincing to follow Adagio anywhere, though she did trail just a few paces behind her girlfriend for a rather obvious reason. Adagio noticed, and laughed at Aria's somewhat thirsty display; All this time and performances and lap dances later, and Aria still couldn't help but ogle at the dancer's ass. It was cute, in a way.

"So, a rave, huh?" mused Aria as they piled into the back of Adagio's car. After a quiet greeting to Mr. Tie, the vehicle took off with the two lovebirds comfortably in the back seat. "You always surprise me when you say you're into stuff like that."

"Oh? Why's that?" asked Adagio.

"I dunno, it just does. I guess it's your, uh… what's the word? Aesthetic?" Aria shrugged. "Your style is more Jessica Rabbit than P!nk, y'know?"

"I've got some depth to me, sugar. You know that." Adagio leaned her head against Aria's shoulder, smirking at the way she stiffened up. "But you're right, I suppose. This is more your thing, isn't it?"

"Maybe back in the day. Not so much of a party girl these days." Adagio chuckled, her laughter floating through the air like music to Aria's ears. "Nata likes to give me shit for acting like an old man just because I like being home at a reasonable hour."

"Well, don't you worry, Gramps. We'll get you tucked in before you know it."

As usual, Adagio knew exactly what she was doing.

As soon as they arrived at The Steeple, which from the looks of things was at some point an actual, functioning church before being repurposed into a nightclub, Aria could feel her little goth-tinged heart flutter. It was brooding, it was harsh, it was perhaps even a little edgy; If Aria had to build the coolest-looking club from the ground up, her club would probably look a lot like The Steeple. As Mr. Tie stopped outside of the entrance, Aria could feel the thumping bass in her narrow chest, and as she stepped out with Adagio on her arm, all eyes were on them. Though not usually one for being in the spotlight, there was something electric about the sensation of going up to the front door of a crowded club with a beautiful woman beside her. Adagio barely had to flash the bouncer a glance before he stepped aside to let them in. The party was well underway by the time they arrived, and all the two had left to do was hit up the bar, dance to a few songs, and enjoy their night out.

"Ha! Ain't no way!"

Rather, that's what Aria thought, until she locked eyes with Sunset from across the dance floor.

"Oh fuck." Aria made to turn away, but Adagio tightened her grip on her arm, keeping her in place, even as Sunset started making her way through the crowd of dancing ravers, in their direction. "Babe, Sunset—"

"Oh, I see her, sugar. But I’m not about to let some messy bitch dictate where we get to hang out," said Adagio firmly. "As far as I'm concerned, this is our party. She's gatecrashing."

"But—"

"Hey, have I ever let you get hurt before?"

"N-no."

"Damn right, no." Though her words were stern, there was a powerful warmth behind them, and every syllable made Aria weaker in the knees than the last. "And that’s not going to change now. Do you trust me?"

"Of course, I trust you," said Aria. There was no question in her mind that Adagio meant what she said, and by some reflex, Aria found herself squeezing her arm a bit tighter. "I trust you."

"Good girl. So let Mama Bear worry about Shimmer. You just worry about being cute for me." Adagio switched up her vibe in a snap as Sunset swayed into earshot. "Hey, Sunny, fancy seeing you here!"

"I was thinking the same thing. What, you two following me or something?" It was immediately clear from the way she spoke (to someone who knew her as well as Aria did, anyway) that Sunset was more than just a bit drunk. Her smudged lipstick, and the kiss mark on her neck, gave more indicators that she wasn't as far removed from her party-girl lifestyle as Aria was. "This big ass city and I keep bumping into you."

"It was only the toy shop before here, right?" mused Adagio. "What's the saying? Twice is a coincidence, three times is enemy action?"

"Ouch. Come on, I'm not that bad, am I?" said Sunset with a drunken, off-kilter little smirk. "Hm… Yeah, guess I am, ha!"

"Been having fun tonight?" said Aria, a bit dryly. If Sunset noticed Aria's tone, she sure didn't act like it, instead just bouncing to the music with her drink in hand. "Hope you have a driver set up."

"Pssh, lighten up, will ya? I'm not even that drunk," snorted Sunset. "Could probably drive myself home if I really needed to… But nah, I've got a ride. Thanks for the concern, babe."

"Easy there, Shimmer. I told you, I get very possessive." As if to prove the point, Adagio slipped her arm around Aria's narrow waist and pulled her in closer. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we can't really stay long. Just a quick fly-by to say hello to some old friends of mine."

"Oh, cool, I'll tag along! I know pretty much everyone here, feels like, might be able to introduce you to some new potential clients," said Sunset. "They might want a quick demo, but you probably don't have a problem throwing it back real quick, right?"

"Pardon?"

"Actually, Ada, I've been dying to hit the restroom," said Aria, quite suddenly. "You coming with?"

"Sure thing, sugar. Sunny, we'll be right back.”

Aria grabbed Adagio by the hand and, with a level of control and intensity that Adagio didn't always associate with her girlfriend, led the way to the restrooms. She didn't get much of a chance to question it as Aria all but kicked in the door, and dragged them both into the dimly lit bathroom. They were alone, thankfully, but Aria didn't seem to care; She was on Adagio before even checking for other occupants, kissing her girlfriend deeply as she pinned the dancer to the wall. Adagio was taken aback, but she liked the energy she was getting from Aria and returned it in kind.

With equal parts of power and care, Adagio rolled with Aria, pressing Aria’s back to the wall in a reversal of their previous position. Back in the driver's seat—the way the both of them liked it—Adagio planted a trail of kisses along Aria's body; Her lips, her neck, her chest. There was scarcely an inch of Aria's body that Adagio ignored, all the way down to her waist, her pelvis, a few between the legs, before Aria pulled her back up for another passionate exchange of lip on lip, tongue against tongue. It couldn't have been more than a few minutes, but to Adagio, it was hours of endless bliss, so intoxicating that the dancer needed a moment to catch her breath when they broke apart.

“This isn't a complaint, mind you, I just need to ask,” breathed Adagio. “But where the hell did that come from?”

“Was feeling a little jumpy,” said Aria with a shrug. “Needed a little something to calm my nerves.”

“You call that calming? Fired me up, personally.” Despite ostensibly being on the receiving end for a change, Adagio matched Aria's intensity with her own, firmly but lovingly gripping the smaller woman by the side of the face. “Let's hurry up and get this fly-by over with, sugar, because now all I want to do is drag you home and make you sing.”

Aria grinned, offering her arm to her beloved, and the two set off from their brief rendezvous to rejoin the party. It was a strange role reversal, with Aria leading the charge back onto the packed club dance floor. Strange, but welcome, in Adagio’s eyes. Finally, some confidence and self-assurance from the woman she adored so much. Her only hope now was that it would last.

As the two made their way deeper into the party, eyes began to linger on the pair, in a way that Adagio wasn't expecting. Given her profession, she was used to stares, and swaths of men comically trying to sneak a peek with all the subtlety and discretions as a brick through a window. This was different. The energy was off, and Adagio wasn't quite sure why. No matter. What was important was saying hi to her contacts, promoting her brand, and getting the hell out of there in favor of a few hours of passion with the woman she loved.

“That's my girl, Valerie,” said Adagio, pointing forward through the crowd to a curvy woman sitting in a booth, in what appeared to be the club's VIP section. Almost expected at this point, sitting just next to her was Sunset, chatting up the woman as if they'd been friends for years. “And she accused us of following her…”

“Come on, let's just get it over with.” Despite the situation, Aria didn't seem too rattled to see Sunset there. Maybe that little encounter in the restroom was what Aria needed, after all. Adagio decided to keep that in mind as they approached. “Hey, Sunset, we're back.”

Sunset looked up from her conversation, and a flash of emotions ran across her features. Surprise at first, then annoyance, then finally landing on just barely restrained disdain. She managed a smile, but just barely, and she didn't have the same confidence and control that Adagio had experienced the last time they had spoken. Someway, somehow, it was her who seemed rattled. “Sorry we’re late, Val,” said Adagio, giving a wave to her friend. Valerie just shook her head, and buried her face in her palm. “What’s that about?”

“Jesus, Adagio…” groaned Val.

“You two have fun in there?” droned Sunset. “Gotta say, you’re bolder than I thought, Ada.” By this point. Adagio was highly confused, and looked to Aria for answers.

Smattered across Aria’s face were numerous glowing, turquoise kiss marks, glowing luminously beneath the club’s blacklights. The fluorescent blue glow was almost impossible to miss, and Adagio was certain she would’ve noticed had she not been so distracted by Aria’s bold display. The horror began to gnaw at Adagio as she realized just why so many people were staring at her, why Valerie seemed so embarrassed for her, and why Sunset was clearly miffed. Every single kiss that the two had shared in that bathroom had been advertised to the whole club, with bright teal signs showing exactly where lips met skin.

And, were the lightning conditions better, Aria would have been able to see her girlfriend blush for the very first time.

“I know you like to be flirty,” said Val. “But please don’t make a habit of getting down and dirty in my bathrooms. Didn’t think I had to say that, but…”

“Now Val, I know what this looks like, but I swear it’s not what you think,” sighed Adagio. She glanced over to Aria, who, for some infuriating reason, still wore that confident smirk she had when she led the way to the restroom. It was at that point did Adagio realize that, at least on Aria’s part, this was no accident. “Just a heavy make-out session, nothing wild.”

“Looks like you were ‘making out’ with her pussy,” noted Sunset. She stood up and stretched, slowly making her way past the couple. “Listen, Aria, if you’re trying to make me jealous, I’m flattered, but it’s not gonna work.”

“Who said this has anything to do with you?” snorted Aria. Sunset stopped, just a few paces past Aria, and turned on the spot.

“Oh, so you’re saying you’re not following me around to show off your hot slut stripper girlfriend?” Both women turned to face Sunset, and almost as an afterthought, she added. “No offense, Ada.”

“Watch the way you talk about my girl.” Before Adagio could remark “none taken”, Aria was already firing back. “We’re not following you, I’m not showing off anything, and she is not a slut.”

“Aria, relax,” said Adagio. “I’ve heard worse, I don’t care.”

“There’s the Aria I know. You’ve been keeping a cool head, but you’re still the same old hothead I dumped ages ago,” said Sunset. “Always ready to start an argument. Besides, I didn’t even say anything negative. I love a good slut, who doesn’t? Back me up here, Val.”

“Staying out of this,” said Valerie. “This isn’t my business, unless you guys think I need to make it my business. And I don’t think that’s necessary, right?”

“Right,” said Adagio, grabbing her significant other firmly by the arm. “Aria, honestly, it makes literally no difference to me what she says. I don’t care. Let it go.”

“I’d listen to her if I was you, Aria. You’ve always had bad judgment.” Despite her insistence that she was innocent, Sunset just kept fueling the fire. “Always thinking with your pussy instead of your head. Whatever makes you happy, right? And hey, I guess if acting slutty and embarrassing yourselves in public is what makes you two happy, then—”

Somehow, despite the loud thudding beats of the club’s music, Adagio would have sworn that every single person in The Steeple heard Aria’s hand meet Sunset’s cheek. Time went still for a moment as all present parties absorbed what had just happened. Sunset looked up, fire in her eyes, and clutched her stinging, angry red cheek with a snarl. Despite her intensity, and Adagio’s obvious horror beside her, Aria stood her ground and leered right back at her ex.

“Not gonna tell you again,” said Aria. She clenched her fists, and every bad habit she managed to get rid of after high school started to boil back up to the front of her brain. “Don’t talk about my girl like that.”

For a second, it was pure silence between them. Then, all at once, Sunset erupted with a terrifying fury.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?! You think you can just go around assaulting people you don’t like?” Sunset’s voice was naturally loud, and her angry shouts carried even stronger through the club. It wasn’t long before heads were turning to see the commotion, and Aria began to fear she may have made a mistake. “I tried to be nice! I tried to be friendly and cordial—which you don’t even fucking deserve after what you did to me, by the way—and what do I get for it? I get burned just like always! Whenever things don’t go Aria’s way, you just have to find a way to make it someone else’s problem, huh? Jesus, I am so fucking finished with you, you fucking psycho!”

“Alright, alright, now it is my business.” Valerie stood up, beckoning to a pair of bouncers standing near the bar. “Adagio, baby, I’ll always be cool with you, but you’ve got about 30 seconds to get your girlfriend out of my club before my boys kick you out the hard way.”

“Don’t worry, Valerie.” Adagio’s lip curled, and she firmly grabbed Aria by the arm, dragging her away. “We’re leaving now.”

“Yeah, get the fuck outta here!” came Sunset’s drunken shouts, only serving to intensify the situation, and garner more attention. “Better keep a tight hold of her, Ada, before she swings on someone else!”

“Yeah, Shimmer, quit while you’re behind,” said Valerie with a venomous glare. “Your drunk ass is going out through the back door. Boys, make sure she gets out safe.”

Aria didn’t even get to enjoy the sight of seeing Sunset kicked out, because Adagio was dragging her through the crowd with a previously unknown focus and determination. Not a word was shared between them, even as they spilled out into the chilly streets. Aria was going to speak, but before she could, Adagio pulled out her phone and dialed out a number.

“Mr. Tie, if you would be so kind, Aria and I just left the club.” The way that Adagio said Aria’s name was not the way that Aria had come to enjoy in the past. No, this carried a barely restrained annoyance that very quickly set Aria on edge. “Yes, we’re right outside. Thank you kindly.” Adagio then pocketed her cell phone and, without a word, leered at Aria, evidently waiting for some sort of acknowledgment. And so, perhaps unfortunately, Aria tried her best.

“So…” said Aria awkwardly. “That went a lot better in my head.”

“You know, I had next to no expectations for your response, Aria, but you managed to miss even the lowest possible bar with that.” Adagio’s voice quivered, and even though she never, ever liked to shout outside of the bedroom, it was clear that she was nearly at that point right then. “So I’ll just go ahead and ask the stupid question. What the hell were you thinking in there?”

“I… Look, she was pissing me off. I’m not gonna sit there and let anyone talk to you like that,” said Aria. “And if you want me to apologize for standing up for you, sorry, it ain’t happening.”

“Oh my God, with every passing second, I find myself more pissed off than the last.”

“Look, I’m sorry I caused a stink and ruined your promo thing, but—”

“If you think I’m mad about getting kicked out of a party I didn’t particularly want to go to in the first place, then you’re an even bigger idiot than I thought!” Adagio threw her hands up, turning away so that she didn’t even have to look at Aria. “You know damn well I’m not hurting for business, I didn’t need this advertisement. That’s not the point!”

“Then… I’m lost,” admitted Aria. She tried to look Adagio in the eye, but once again, the dancer turned away. “If you didn’t need this, then what? Cause I got us kicked out? I didn’t mean to embarrass you, I just—”

“You didn’t embarrass me, Aria. You fucking used me. You used me to try and stick it to your toxic ex, and let me just tell you this.” When Adagio finally turned back to face Aria, she did so with tears in her eyes, and Aria immediately understood that she had made a terrible mistake. “I take my clothes off in front of strangers for a living, I hear the most disgusting, perverted things said about my body regularly. The looks I get in that club from some of those pigs, they stare at me like a slab of meat, and somehow, I’ve never felt more objectified in my entire life than I do right now.”

“Oh… Oh, fuck… Ada, I—”

“No! Don’t you fucking dare ‘Ada’ me! You used me as a prop to piss off Shimmer! And for what? Why do you care so damn much about what she thinks of you?” Adagio nearly choked on her words, just barely resisting the urge to outright bawl right there in the middle of the sidewalk. “Am I not enough for you?”

“Adagio, don’t even say that. You know that’s not it,” swore Aria. “I just… You have to understand, me and her, it’s complicated.”

“In what way? What can be so damn complicated about the fact that you do not need her approval or validation? Unless…” Adagio took in a deep breath, in a failing attempt to calm her nerves. She pulled her hair from her face with trembling hands, breathing slowly as she swallowed down her heart before it leaped from her chest. “I asked you a while ago, and you didn’t give me a straight answer then. I thought I was okay with that, but maybe I was wrong. So I’m asking you again now. Do you still have feelings for Sunset?”

The answer was simple, obvious. It shouldn’t have required any thought at all. And yet, as Aria went forth to say, no, of course not, she paused. She wanted to say the words, but they got caught on her tongue, and she froze. It was only a second’s hesitation, but Adagio was a keen woman, and she noticed that hesitation immediately. Her face fell, and just when her heart split in two, her familiar black luxury car pulled up to the curb. Mr. Tie stepped out and, though he maintained his usual professional demeanor, it was clear that he noticed that something was amiss.

“Ma’am?” Mr. Tie cleared his throat, earning a glance from his mistress. “Is everything okay?”

“Mr. Tie, please take Aria home.” Adagio’s voice was low, heavy with a million things she wanted to say, but for one reason or the other, kept to herself. “Make sure she gets home safely.”

“And you, ma’am?”

“It’s not far. I’ll walk.”

“What? No, Adagio, don’t do that,” said Aria. “Let’s just talk—”

“The very last thing I want to do right now, Aria, is talk to you. And your best chance of me wanting to talk to you is to give me some space.”

“But… Fine, but still, don’t walk. I’ll take a cab, you don’t have to do that.”

“I know. I wasn’t asking.” She glanced at Mr. Tie, who looked on with concern, but did not argue. “Please walk her to her front door when you arrive, and make sure she gets inside safely.”

“Yes, ma’am, of course,” said Mr. Tie. “Though, if you’d prefer to wait for a bit, I can of course come back to pick you up?”

“Thank you, but I don’t want to talk to anyone today. I need to get my head on straight, before I say something I regret.”

“Adagio. Adagio!” Despite Aria’s calls and shouts, Adagio did not respond. She just kept on going forward, down the street in the direction of home. Part of Aria wanted to follow her, but she thankfully thought better of it. No need to make things worse. “Adagio! I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry!”

“Come along, ma’am.” Mr. Tie opened the door for Aria and gestured inside. “I’ve known Ms. Adagio long enough to know that now it’s best to leave her be. Let’s get you home, hm?”

Again, Aria considered ignoring Mr. Tie, ignoring common sense, and running after the woman she loved, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Deep in her heart, she knew she’d just ruin things further, if that was even possible. So, without much in the way of options, Aria slowly trudged over to the car and slid into the backseat. Mr. Tie closed the door behind her and took the driver’s seat, sparing Aria a glance in the rear-view mirror before taking off.

It was quiet for a while, neither Aria nor Mr. Tie acknowledging each other. Aria just stared out the window, at the sight of Adagio growing smaller and smaller as they drove in the opposite direction, until she couldn’t see her at all anymore. What a mess, and worst of all, Aria had no one to blame but herself. While she could certainly say that Sunset didn’t help matters, at the end of the day, it was her own actions that had upset Adagio.

“God, I’m such a fuck up…” groaned Aria, slumping her head against the glass. She looked up, and just as she did, Mr. Tie darted his eyes back to the road, to make it seem as though he hadn’t been looking. “Sorry. I know this is probably a pain, taking me all the way home just cause I’m an idiot.”

“Ms. Aria, with your permission, I’d like to offer you a bit of advice,” said Mr. Tie, much to Aria’s surprise. Mr. Tie was a friendly enough man, but he took his job quite seriously, and so he very rarely spoke this candidly to Aria. Usually just a polite greeting and farewell whenever he took the two around for their dates and such. “You don’t have to take it, of course, but I think it might do you some good.”

“Sure, why not?” sighed Aria with a shrug. “Can’t hurt, right?”

“Hm. Once, a long time ago, there was a woman that I knew well, and there was something she’d often say. She’d say that everyone on Earth has exactly two things in common; We all fuck up, and we all die.” Aria’s eyebrows went up at that, having never heard Mr. Tie utter even a darn or a heck in all the time she’d known him. “And by the time the second thing happens, the first one doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Huh. She sounds like a hell of a woman.”

“Oh, she was. Like you would not believe. Not unlike Ms. Adagio.” It went quiet for a spell, before Mr. Tie continued. “We all make mistakes, Ms. Aria. I’ve made more than my fair share of them, and I still, to this day, do not believe I’ve done nearly enough to earn Ms. Adagio’s forgiveness for it.” Another few beats of quiet, and it sounded like Mr. Tie was composing himself. “I don’t know if she’s told you, but Ms. Adagio is my goddaughter.”

“Oh, wow. She’s never said that before,” said Aria. “You’re her godfather…”

“It’s in her nature to keep that to herself. She’s trying to protect my privacy. And I promised her, as well as her parents, that I would take care of Ms. Adagio as if she were my own child. For the most part, I believe I have. I’ve never had children of my own, but Ms. Adagio… For all intents and purposes, Ms. Adagio is my daughter.”

“And I just royally pissed her off…” Aria rested her face in her palms, groaning to herself once again. “If you wanna just dump me on the side of the road, I totally get it…”

“My point, Ms. Aria, is that I care about her, and I want her to be happy. Regardless of what you’ve done or said tonight, you make her very happy,” explained the driver. “I think you’re very good for her, and you’re both made better by having each other. So I urge you… Do not give up. Do not call it quits just because you ‘fucked up’. Because if Ms. Adagio can find it in her heart to forgive me, after all the trouble I’ve caused her with my own fuck up, then surely she can forgive you. You just have to get off your ass and show her that you are willing to put in the effort to make things right between you two.” Mr. Tie blinked, as if he had only just then heard the words coming out of his mouth. “Erm… Forgive my language, Ms. Aria. It’s just, as I said, I want you both to be happy. When things are this important, I don’t want to tiptoe around the point politely. I’m rooting for you. I always have.”

Aria took in a deep breath, absorbing the surprising advice from its equally surprising source. She was a bit skeptical at first, but the longer she thought about what Mr. Tie said, the more sense it made to her. Adagio wasn’t vindictive, wasn’t particularly petty. But Aria had hurt her, and just yelling sorry down the street wasn’t what Adagio wanted to hear. Action, and honest effort, were what Adagio would need to heal. Aria felt as though she owed Adagio a lot over the past year or so. A bit of effort to make up for her mistake was the least she owed.

“Okay. Stop moping around and do something about it, yeah?” said Aria. Mr. Tie nodded, and smiled ever-so-slightly at the new look in Aria’s eyes. Now, it wasn’t regret or self-pity behind those eyes. It was determination, the desire to remedy her mistakes. “Mr. Tie, next time you have a day off, remind me that I owe you a beer.”

Now, Mr. Tie’s little smirk turned into a full-on cheeky grin.

“Respectfully, Ms. Aria, after some of the things you and Ms. Adagio have gotten up to in the backseat of my car, you owe me a lot more than one.”

Mine

“Good girl.”

Aria could hear those two words from Adagio a million times and never get sick of it. The way she purred out the simple phrase, loving and dangerous in equal measure, sent tingles down her spine, made her hair stand on end. It was everything to her. And so was the woman beneath her.

“You like riding Mommy, don't you?” Adagio laced her fingers with Aria, and held her steady as she rocked and bounced. Aria nodded desperately, her eyes squeezed shut. “Good girls use their words.”

“Yes… I love riding you,” breathed Aria. With their bodies moving in concert, it was difficult for Aria to string along a sentence, or to focus on anything at all. All she could do is rock her hips, and hold on for dear life. “Fuck… I love riding Mommy…”

Adagio smirked, like a predator prepared to pounce. All this time later, and she still has her girl eating out of her palm.

“You love it, do you?” cooed Adagio. “Then kiss me. Show me how much you love it.”

Without a second thought, Aria bent forward, greeting Adagio with lips and tongue and even a tiny bit of teeth. As the mattress creaked, barely heard over the sounds of their smacking lips and gentle moans, Adagio brought her hands to Aria’s waist. So narrow and thin, like a little doll. The dancer grabbed her perfect doll by the hip with one hand, and gripped Aria's flat little ass with the other, and pulled her in close. She led Aria tight, digging her scarlet nails into her flesh, surely hard enough to leave a mark. Somehow, Adagio didn't imagine Aria would mind a little reminder of her.

“Adagio…” Aria had to rip herself away from her lover, and even as she did so she drifted back in to feel Adagio’s flush lips against hers again. “Fuck, I'm close…”

“Mommy’s good girl is close? You wanna cum for me?” giggled Adagio. “Are you gonna cum on Mommy's cock?”

“P-please… I need it… I need you…”

“Then sing for Mommy, sugar.”

Though she was speaking metaphorically, the sounds that next came from Aria was like music to Adagio’s ears. That shrill, high, girly tone that Aria saved just for her Mommy, it twisted through the air like a symphony and rang boldly as a beautiful display of their love, their attraction, their desire for one another. As Aria quivered and shook, she fell forward onto her love, and went right back to exploring Adagio’s mouth with her own. Their bodies pressed against each other, they could feel the heat in each other's core, the thumping of the other's heart against their ribs. As close as two could be without becoming one.

“Fuck…” Aria chuckled, short of breath and barely able to feel her legs. She pulled her face away from Adagio for just a second before kissing the dancer along the collar and up the length of her neck. “You're amazing…”

“Oh, I know,” said Adagio with a smirk. She stroked a hand through Aria’s hair, the long locks of purple flowing through her fingers like water. “Wanna switch?”

“For sure. Just… Gimme a sec.” Aria boosted herself up with weak, trembling limbs, climbing off of Adagio’s strap-on and coming to rest on the bed in the dancer’s arms. “Wow… You're amazing…”

“You said that already, sugar.”

“Well, it's true. You're an incredible woman.” Aria watched Adagio sit up, and gracefully went about undoing the leather straps that held her toy around her shapely waist. “Where ya going?”

“I'm just getting comfy, don't you worry. I wouldn't dream of trying to skip on our cuddles.” Free from her harness and with their relationship aid securely resting atop her nightstand, Adagio sunk back into her mattress and beckoned for Aria with a finger. “Get your cute little ass over here, sugar.”

“Yes, ma'am.” With Adagio flat on her back, Aria locked onto her target and struck; She slid onto Adagio, and rested her face in her warm, soft, inviting chest. “Mmm… You're so soft…”

“Plans for tonight?” asked Adagio. Aria peeled her face up and shook her head before returning to the valley of Adagio’s cleavage. “Good. I like when you sleep over.”

“If I could trust Sonata to cook for a week without burning down the apartment, I'd be here more often…”

“Well, we'd better make use of this time together then.” Adagio peeked down her chest, locking eyes with a grinning, almost giddy Aria. She smirked, and ran her long fingernails gently down the length of Aria’s spine, all the way to the small of her back and up again. “Okay, what's that look about?”

“What do you mean?”

“You're smiling at me like you've never seen my tits before.”

“I've seen the Mona Lisa before too, doesn't mean I won't stop to appreciate it if I see it again.”

“You just might be the corniest woman alive.”

“I'm just happy, okay? For so long, I thought I'd never have this. And now?” Aria kissed Adagio again, and grinned. “Now you're mine. Mine, all, mine.”

“And you're mine. Forever.” It went quiet for a moment, just the two women enjoying each other's company. “Mind if I ask you about something?”

“You can ask me anything.”

“When did you know you liked girls?” asked Adagio. Aria cocked her brow, and so Adagio elaborated. “I only ask because I never had a moment where the lightbulb went off for me. I was wondering if there was like a specific moment where it clicked for you.”

“Oh, that's pretty easy. It was Catholic school, must've been like 12 or 13. Got into a fight with one of the other girls, so I got detention,” explained Aria. “I didn't think it was fair, so I mouthed off, said something maybe a little blasphemous in the heat of the moment. That's when Sister Maria bent me over her knee and spanked me with a ruler. I was never the same after that. As soon as I was able to get my hands on the internet, I did some independent research, and voila, a lesbian appears before your very eyes.”

“Your lesbian awakening was being spanked by a nun...”

“Yeah, I know, it sounds like a bad porno. Honestly, there were signs earlier, I just didn't really understand it. All I knew was that Sister Maria always made me feel weird and it pisses me off, so I acted out.”

“So, you have a thing for nuns? I never knew that.”

“Yeah, big, big, big thing for nuns. I mean, women in uniform in general, but something about the habit just does something to me.” Adagio chuckled, which perked Aria up. “Why's that funny?”

“It's not, really. Just that I might have a habit in storage someplace.” The two were so close that Adagio could literally feel Aria’s heart skip a beat. “Maybe I should dig it up sometime?”

“My birthday is coming up. Just saying.”

“I'll keep it in mind.” Another brief, cozy silence descended into them. “Discovering you're gay, at Catholic school. That couldn't have been easy.”

“Eh. Plenty of people had it way harder. I didn't really come out of the closet for a while. Only person who knew was Nata, until high school.” Aria paused for a second. “I was pretty nervous about telling my parents, though. Took a long time to work up the guts.”

“How'd they take it?”

“Um… I guess they took it well. Thought I was gonna give my mom a heart attack at first,” Aria chuckled. “They didn't really understand. Thought I'd grow out of it or something. But even though they didn't get it, they supported me.”

Aria could feel Adagio tense slightly, and it was easy to work out why. Even all this time together, Adagio didn't like to speak much about her relationship with her parents. It was tough for her, but Aria got the gist by now. So rather than force the point, Aria changed the subject.

“You told me that you'd never been with a girl before we met,” said Aria. Adagio nodded. “What was that like?”

“How do you mean?”

“Just that, like… I don't know.” Aria sort of shrugged, as best she could without letting go of Adagio. “I don't think there's anything a guy could tell me to make me give him a try.”

“I try not to put too many labels on things. Gay, straight, bi, whatever, who cares? What I value is experiences.”

“So you could see yourself going back?”

“Depends on what you do with that harness.” The pair shared a laugh and, though it wasn't entirely necessary, Adagio quickly amended her previous comment. “No, sugar, you more than do it for me. I'll say this, no man I've been with has ever been quite so attentive and conscious of my needs.”

“I aim to please.”

“Don't you just.”

“So you wouldn't be interested in maybe, like, hooking up with a guy or something? Just for a fling?” Aria blinked slowly, the words she said only just then reaching her own ears. “What the fuck is wrong with me? It's like I'm trying to talk myself out of getting laid.”

“What's ‘wrong’ with you is that you care about my feelings and desires.” Adagio smiled, sliding her hands slowly down Aria's middle. “I won't sit here and pretend that I don't think about the old days every now and then, sugar. But pleasant memories aren't the same as an active want. All I want now, is you.”

“Aww.”

“And maybe another girl someday. I've never had a threesome, and it's on my bucket list.”

In a flash, every quip, barb, and witty retort deleted itself from Aria’s brain, replaced by the sound of a computer rebooting.

“Oh. Like, um, like actually? Y-you think you might wanna do something like that?”

“Easy, girl, I said ‘maybe someday’. Who knows when, if ever? Or with who. I don't just let anyone into the bed, and that was when it was just mine. I'm not sure who I'd like enough to share my good girl with.” After a few moments of thought, Adagio grinned a devilish grin. “Say, has Sonata ever—”

“Nope! Nuh-uh, veto!” Even despite her disapproval, Aria couldn't help but laugh. “She's like my sister, dude.”

“I'm just saying, if I sometimes catch myself staring at her chest, I just know you must ogle her from time to time. Right or wrong?”

“I'm not even going to dignify that with a response.”

“Ah, so that means I'm really right, then.” Adagio darted in, and kissed a very pouty Aria on the forehead. “Okay, okay, fine. That's my pick, though, so if you ever change your mind…”

“I'll be sure to let you know.” A minute passed. Then another. And another. It was peaceful. Beautiful. And yet, Aria had to know. “Babe? Are you happy?”

“Why wouldn't I be?”

“Well, that's why I'm asking. I only know what you tell me.” Aria rolled off of Adagio, and slid her body up against the dancer’s side, so that she could look her more easily in the eyes. “I just… you make me so happy. Every day, I thank God that I met you. And I want you to feel what I feel.”

“Of course, I'm happy.”

It's what Adagio wanted to say. It's what she wanted to say, because it's what she felt. Or, rather, she thought she did, until Aria had asked. But, right before the words left her mouth, Adagio stopped, and she thought about it. She thought about her life, the people in it, as well as the people that weren't. What she was, what she wasn't. What she did, what she couldn't. It should have been a simple question. Adagio Dazzle is wealthy, successful, and liberated, but is she happy?

The simple truth was, she wasn't sure.

“I… I do feel like maybe something is missing,” said Adagio finally. “I have everything I need. Everything I could want. What could be missing?”

“Just to be clear, we're not still talking about inviting Sonata over, right?”

“No, sugar, I'm being serious. I…” She turned over, now directly facing Aria. The look Adagio received—those purple eyes focused solely on Adagio, as if she was the most important thing in the world—was comforting. It made Adagio feel like, no matter what would come of this conversation, there was someone there waiting to keep her together. “I don't know, sugar. I just think about when I'm gone, what will they say about me? What is my tombstone going to say? ‘Adagio Dazzle: Stripper, Clubber, Stone-Cold Bitch’?”

“Maybe something more like ‘loving friend and partner’?”

“That's how you would remember me. What about everyone else?”

“I thought we agreed that we don't care about ‘everyone else'.”

“I don't. And I love dancing, nude or otherwise. But I also love shrimp fried rice.”

“Doesn't mean you want it every meal.”

“Exactly. I feel like, right now, I'm just a stripper. I want to be more than ‘just’ anything.” Adagio sighed. “But where do you even begin?”

“Well, I guess that depends. What do you want to do?”

“Hm?”

“Like, pretend rent isn't due. Well, you probably haven't worried about rent for a while, that's a bad metaphor…” Aria shook her head. “Just, like, imagine you could do anything. No one could stop you. You don't have to answer to anyone. The only determining factor, is you. What do you want to do?”

What did she want to do? What could she possibly want to do? She had it all. Money. A successful business. A wonderful partner. And yet, somehow, Adagio Dazzle had the audacity to ask for more. Only, it wasn't something she wanted. Not something material. Wealth and fancy cars were all good and well, but they said little of who Adagio was. The closest she ever got to baring her soul to the world was when she was dancing. That was when she was able to show off her confidence, her sexuality, her freedom to be whoever and whatever she wanted.

Maybe there was another way to show the world who she was. A way that didn't involve a pole and loud nightclub music.

“I'd write,” said Adagio slowly. “I think I'd write.”

“What, like a book?” Adagio nodded, and Aria couldn't help but smile. “That's awesome. What kind of book do you see yourself writing?”

“All I said is I would want to do it. I didn't say I actually would.”

“Why not?”

“Sugar, the last thing I wrote was an essay in college. And I got a C.”

“C’s get degrees, just saying.”

“The point I'm getting at is that I don't have the first clue on how to write a book.”

“So? I didn't know anything about editing, but then Sonata wanted to make shitty music videos in high school,” said Aria. “So I learned, and now it's my job. Start small. Write on your terms. Do whatever you want.”

“But what if it's not any good?”

“Sounds like you're worrying about ‘everyone else' again. Remember, they don't matter. What matters is you and me, and me personally?” Aria grabbed Adagio about the waist, and pulled the much larger woman in closer to kiss. “I can't wait to see what you come up with.”

“You think you can seduce me into writing a novel?”

“I think I can try.” Aria cracked a smirk at the way that Adagio blushed, a very rare occurrence. Aria took every bloom of red cheeks as a supreme victory, and this evening was no exception. “You know, Sonata writes these articles for fashion and lifestyle magazines sometimes for extra pocket money. I don't know how well that experience would transfer over to whatever you decide you want to write, but no such thing as too much help. If you want, we can talk to her, maybe she knows a good place to start.”

There was something so special to Adagio about Aria. How quickly she dove in to help, even if Adagio’s problem was relatively unimportant. There wasn't anything that Aria wouldn't do for her, and even though some part of her mind always knew that, it was still quite the emotional experience to feel it firsthand. Adagio couldn't imagine what she had done to deserve someone like Aria in her life. Someone who, despite all of her faults, and all of Adagio’s, believed in the two of them.

If Aria could believe in them both, then maybe it was time for Adagio to believe in herself, too.

“Alright, I like the sound of that,” said Adagio finally. She could almost sense Aria reaching for her phone, and she had to scramble a bit to stop her. “Just… give me some time to figure things out. I don't even know what kind of book I want to write. That seems like something I should figure out first.”

“Hey, just give me the word and I'll pull the trigger.” She kissed Adagio again. “I want you to have this, babe. And I'm gonna do everything I can to make sure you get it.”

“Aria… Thank you. So much.” She kissed Aria back, then again when Aria returned the affection. “I love you.”

“Love you too. Duh.” Aria smirked, sitting up slightly in bed. “So, I think my batteries are all recharged. Why don't you hand me that strap there, and I'll make you mine.”

Confidence was fairly new for Aria, but as Adagio handed over the leather harness, she had to admit that it was a very attractive look on her.

“Come to Mama, sugar. Make me yours.”

I Get Off

"What do you mean you don't 'do' bachelor parties?!"

Aria didn't answer at first, partly due to her focus on the music that was playing in her ear, and partly because she wasn't in the mood for this particular conversation with Sonata at this time. She was tired, as was normally the case after work, and she was banking on her roommate being out with whichever boy she had around her finger for this particular week so she could relax and sulk, just like she had been for the past few months. Unfortunately, fate seemed to defy those hopes, leaving Aria irate, exhausted, and just about ready to dive through a plate glass window.

So it was a typical Friday, as it turned out.

"I don't know how else to phrase that," said Aria with a shrug. "I don't do bachelor parties. Not my thing."

"How do you know? You've never been to one!" Sonata Dusk was, as well as being Aria's best friend, her precise opposite in just about every way. Whereas Aria tended to see the glass as half empty, Sonata was just happy to have a glass of water in the first place. Aria was perpetually irked, whereas Sonata very rarely left home without her smile. And, while Sonata was very social, bringing home a new boyfriend or FWB every other week, Aria… Aria wasn't so lucky.

"Never been stabbed before, pretty sure I'd hate that shit," snorted Aria. She turned on her bed, keeping her back to the wall and peering at Sonata from over her phone. Though they were lucky enough to be able to afford a two-bedroom apartment between the pair of them, the two often found themselves hanging out in Aria's room due to its larger size and the fact that Sonata often needed to use Aria's computer for work and class.

"You're so dramatic. Not to mention boring!" complained Sonata. She spun idly in Aria's computer chair, occasionally pausing to check her email and social media accounts when she rotated around to face the screen again. "Only you would compare a bitching party to getting stabbed."

"Look, I had a long day and—"

"Yeah, and the best cure for that is to have some fun! Come on, Flash only gets the one bachelor party. Well, we hope he only gets one, anyway."

"I barely know Flash, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't like me." Even though she knew Sonata was unlikely to drop it, Aria paused to hum and vibe to her song, the vocals reaching a crescendo as the lead singer howled about her pain and loss. Aria loved this part of the song. "Why do you even want me to go?"

"Cause Flash doesn't wanna invite a bunch of people, so he really only asked me. Pop quiz, what do you call a party with only two people?" Sonata didn't wait for an answer. "A date! And a bachelor date isn't a thing that people do, plus I'm pretty sure his fiance wouldn't like that."

"So his fiance doesn't want him going out with some chick, so your plan is to make it a party with two chicks? And where's the party, cause I don't figure this is a Dave & Buster's kinda night for you."

"Strip club, doy. Come on, it'll be fun! We'll get some food, get drunk, see some boobies." Sonata gave an exaggerated wink in her very lesbian roommate's direction. "Not to mention getting out of the apartment. You haven't been out since—"

"Don't." Aria glared at her friend, hoping to convey just how little she wanted to go down that road with just a single glare. Knowing Sonata, though, that would be the exact route they ended up taking.

"I'm just saying… You can't mope forever."

"Saving money by staying home is not moping," said Aria definitively. "I told you months ago, I'm over it."

"Her. You're over her," said Sonata. Once again, Aria glared, which just made Sonata roll her eyes. "Look, she's not Jesus Christ, we're allowed to say her name. And if you're as over Sunset as you claim to be, then you wouldn't be acting this way."

"I don't know what you're talking about," lied Aria, very unconvincingly. Once again, Sonata rolled her eyes, standing up to go through the evidence.

"You haven't spoken to another girl since you broke up," noted Sonata.

"Been busy with work. Didn't think it was a good time to start dating."

"You leave the room whenever Community comes in because you used to watch it with her."

"I've seen the whole series, and I don't like reruns."

"Whatcha listening to?" asked Sonata. Aria didn't answer and, before she could change songs, Sonata was on her, pulling the phone from her hands and examining the tracklist. "Care to explain why you have a playlist that's literally just the song Familiar Taste of Poison and nothing else?"

"Uh…" Aria's brain froze as she tried to find a way out of this. "My phone glitched?"

"The playlist is called 'Sunset' with a frown and a broken heart emoji." Sonata tossed Aria her phone, returning to her swivel chair. "That was your song, you two. Halestorm was your band."

"So just because we split, I'm not allowed to listen to my favorite band anymore?"

"You shouldn't be listening to this one sad song over and over! Seriously, Ari, this isn't healthy. You can't keep living like this." Sonata's tone shifted somewhat, going from excited party girl to concerned friend. "I know it sucks and I know it's not easy, but you have to get back on your feet and learn to live without her. I really do think this party might be a good first step."

"Sony…" Aria groaned, burying her face in her palm. It always bugged her when Sonata had a point, and this was one such time. "You don't get it. She was—"

"She was the one, yeah, I know. And the fact that it didn't work out is really a shame. I thought you two would be together forever, and it breaks my heart that it broke down the way it did. But, instead of crying over 'the one', why don't you look on the bright side and enjoy 'the two', huh?" Sonata grinned, cupping her sizable breasts and nearly bouncing them out of her top. "If you catch my drift. Come on, when's the next time you're gonna get to see some boobs?"

"The second you walk out of here and I get on my computer."

"Or…?"

"Ugh. Fine! I'll do the stupid party!" groaned Aria. She frowned, surveying the mess of dirty clothes that littered her bedroom floor, almost mockingly strewn around the laundry basket rather than in its confines. "I'm stealing one of your outfits, though. I don't have anything to wear."

Sonata grinned from ear to ear, leaping up and grabbing Aria around the wrist. She pulled her friend to her feet and dragged her out of the room, while Aria simply sat there and let herself be manhandled. It was easier that way.

"I'm gonna have you looking so hot!"

While Aria considered herself a music lover, even she had an upper limit.

Everyone has that genre that drives them mad. For some, it's country, and for others, it's gospel. For most people, it's polka. Aria didn't hate any of these genres, deciding that they each have their strengths and their purposes. They all managed to touch her soul in some way at some point, and what Aria listened to really varied depending on her mood.

Trashy club music, however, was a division Aria didn't believe should even exist.

"Woo! Oh man, I love this song!" hooted Sonata as she led the party of three through the strip club. Aria hadn't expected anything less from Sonata, but she rolled her eyes nonetheless. Even still, it brought her a sense of amusement watching her friend bounce and jive to garbage music as they forayed further and further into the club. "Come on, let's get crazy!"

"You two go ahead. I'll catch up." Aria waved to the pair, trying not to let on how little she was already enjoying her trip. Before Sonata could ask, Aria thumbed over her shoulder to the bar. "Gonna get a drink, maybe a smoke. It's cool, we'll link back up soon."

"Alrighty, then. Flash! Let's get your face in some titties!"

Aria snickered in spite of herself, watching her best friend drag the groom-to-be off to see the various dancers and performers. She watched the club for a bit, the crowd dancing and socializing as various women in varying states of undress made their money by swaying and gyrating on stage. While Aria never considered herself to be particularly conservative, she had to admit that she felt considerably out of depth in this place. If she wanted even a chance at enjoying herself, she needed to get some liquor in her.

"Gin and juice," said Aria as she bellied up to the bar. "Easy on the juice." The bartender nodded and quickly mixed Aria her drink, sliding it across the table. She paid for her drink and took a sip, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Thanks. Really needed this."

The song playing changed from the previous club noise to something a bit more Aria's speed. Shameless wasn't her favorite song, nor was Lissie her favorite artist, but it was much closer to her preference than what she had been subject to previously. She turned around to face the stage, watching the last dancers to perform strut off of the stage as their set finished. Maybe Sonata was right. Maybe this would be fun, after all.

As the music ramped up, the next dancer slowly strutted forward from the stage, and Aria's eyes went wide. Her ebony lingerie hugged her curves, the dark black garters holding her lacey stockings in place on her long, smooth, slender legs. Her wide, sensual hips swayed in time with the music, and her perfect bust threatened to bounce free of her scanty, lacey black top with every step. Her hair was a wild, messy mass of orange and yellow that went down to her shoulders, swaying and bouncing as she walked. Her plump, scarlet painted lips curved into a self-assured, confident, bordering on arrogant smirk, and the gaze of her magenta eyes seemed to pierce the dim half-light of the club, boring through whoever they passed over.

That gaze met Aria, and an electric chill shuddered down her spine. Though it was just a second, it felt like much longer, with the intensity of the dancer's gaze threatening to crumple Aria if not for the fact that she was already seated.

She left the bar, her half-finished gin and juice entirely forgotten as Aria slowly pushed through the crowd to the stage. She was transfixed, as if possessed, and she watched the dancer's performance from a dazed trance. The performer grabbed the pole at the front of the stage, slowly hanging and turning to give the crowd a look through the open back of her short dress, at her back and the tattoo that adorned it; a golden sea serpent winding up and down her spine, with crimson eyes that almost seemed to glow as Aria's own eyes passed over it. The way the serpent slithered down the dancer's back naturally attracted the viewer's gaze downwards, to her sizable rear and the way it bounced and jiggled with her every movement.

The dancer leaned against the pole, throwing her head back and gyrating her shoulders to the tune of the music. She bit on her lip gently, tugging down on the zipper of her top before firmly grasping the pole and wrapping a long, powerful leg around it. With grace, athleticism, and power, the dancer left her feet and swung around the pole, leaning back and turning as she finished with her top. She shimmied her shoulders back and shed her dress, dropping the garment into the stage and leaving herself clad in a delicate black bra, with a lacey black trim around the edges.

The dancer twirled around the pole until she landed back on the ground, her platform heels not slowing her a step as she flowed across the stage like water. Aria looked up at her, captivated, and the dancer kept on with her routine, as if she was most at home in the spotlight. The dancer whipped her head around, smoothly sliding a bra strap down her shoulder. She turned to show her back to the crowd, leaning against the pole and arching her back, sashaying her hips to the chorus before turning to face the crowd and boosting herself once again up the pole. As she twirled around the pole, her other strap came down, until an act of God was the only thing holding her bra in place.

To Aria's amazement, the dancer turned upside-down, using just one leg grapevined around the pole to keep her from falling. Her movements were so flowy, fluid like water, and the ease at which she seemed capable of bringing men and women to their knees formed a lump in Aria's throat. As the dancer twirled around and once again landed on her feet, it became clear that she had at some point undid her bra; as the song hit its crescendo, the rapid-fire lyrics sending the performer's body into overdrive, she finally let the garment fall to the ground.

Bright, red, heart-shaped pasties covered her nipples, but this seemed enough for many of the spectators. Dollar bills fluttered onto the stage, like confetti dancing down to the dancer's feet. She flowed and swayed some more, leaning her back against the pole and sliding down until her butt hit the floor. Now, she was eye level with the crowd, looking directly at Aria with those fierce, almost incandescent magenta eyes, and Aria felt her body move before she even thought on her actions; she whipped out her wallet, grabbed a $50 bill, and slid it in the waistband of the dancer's panties. If the performer was surprised by this, she didn't show it, and she simply swiveled around before crawling backward seductively and climbing to her feet. As the song died down, the crowd whistled and applauded, tossing more money into the stage as the dancer made her way to the back.

Aria blinked as the next performer took the stage. A tough act to follow, in her mind. She wasn't typically into this sort of thing, but after seeing that woman dance, Aria needed to breathe. She walked away from the stage, still mystified by the dancer as she slowly made her way to the bar. She needed another drink, maybe that cigarette she talked about earlier. Anything to get her head straight before she did something else stupid.

"You know, most people aren't that generous."

Aria froze, the sultry, seductive, velveteen voice crawling up her back and making the hairs on her arm stand on end. Slowly, Aria turned, heart pounding in her throat when she locked gazes with those powerful magenta eyes. That dancer had a new top on, similar to her first one but a bit longer, and with a frill that resembled a skirt. She was taller than Aria realized, about a head and a half taller than her, and her size brought with her an additional dimension of authority, power, beauty and allure. For a moment, Aria couldn't speak, and her brain scrambled to find a suitable retort.

"Uh… What?" was the best Aria could manage. In response, the dancer reached into her panties and waved the bill that Aria had given her.

"I'm going to assume you were fumbling for a $5 when you gave me this," said the dancer.

"N-no. I mean…" Aria cleared her throat, trying to steady herself and seem like she wasn't a massive dork for a change. "Nah. Your set was, uh… Special, I guess is the word for it."

"Mh-hm. Well, sugar, if you've got money burning a hole in your pocket…" The dancer leaned in a bit, her voice going a bit more airy than before. "How about you and I go someplace a bit more private, hm?"

"Okay… how much for that?"

"You'll have to match this tip of yours." The dancer put a hand on her hip and peered down at Aria. "Going by how eager you were to throw those big bills around, I don't imagine that to be a problem for you?"

"Yeah. No problem. Lemme just… hit up the ATM," said Aria, patting her pockets as in search of her wallet. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

"No promises."

Aria took about a half step before it clicked in her head what the dancer had said, and she paused for a moment to see if the dancer was joking; she didn't laugh, she didn't smile, she didn't even blink. After a short moment, her brain seemed to reboot, and Aria shot through the club like a bullet.

The truth was, Aria was just about out of cash. She hadn't intended to do much at the club. She knew she would drink and she figured Sonata would talk her into tossing some money at a few dancers, but she left the bulk of her cash at home. And, as a vast majority of her money was in her savings, Aria didn't actually have any more than $15 at her disposal, which meant one thing.

"Sonata!" Finally, Aria found her, throwing herself around to the beat of the music. She was so preoccupied with the music and her dancing that she didn't seem to notice Aria until she was grabbing her by the shoulder. "Quick, I need a favor."

"Ari, you missed it! The girls found out it was Flash's bachelor party and they were super nice about it!" laughed Sonata. "A few of 'em let him take Jell-o shots off of their butt, and this one girl twerked on him til—"

"Yeah, cool, tell me later, I need to borrow $50," said Aria, impatiently looking over her shoulder. "I'll pay you back when we get home, I swear."

"Okay… What do you need…" Sonata gasped as she pulled the bills from her bra, grinning mischievously as she put the pieces together. "Ooh, you're actually having fun with the stripper girls, aren't you? Which one? There's a cute blonde I thought you might wanna go talk to and—Hey!"

Aria snatched the money from Sonata's hand and immediately took off through the crowd. She ignored Sonata's shouting, her mind focused on finding that dancer before it was too late. She couldn't have been the only one who wanted a private dance with that particular performer, and Aria was liable to lose it if some horny frat boy beat her to the punch.

Luckily, the dancer was still right where she was when Aria left, watching Aria approach with a powerful gaze. She didn't seem angry, just extremely intense, overflowing with a level of confidence and self-assurance that Aria couldn't quite put into words. If she had to pick one to describe that aura, though, she might have gone with "intoxicating".

"You're still here," said Aria, unable to hide the slight edge of surprise in her voice.

"So I am. If you're still interested, you know where to put it," said the dancer. Aria hesitated for a moment, and so the performer turned away and pushed her hips back, nearly forcing her ass against Aria. "Don't get shy on me now. Slip it in."

"R-right…" Aria swore at herself for locking up the way she had, quickly sliding the borrowed money in the dancer's panties. "So. Where, uh… Where to?"

The dancer didn't answer. Instead, she grabbed Aria by the hand and pulled her forward. The crowd that Aria had to fight through on her way to the stage seemed to simply dissipate for the dancer, parting like the Red Sea to allow the beauty and her client passage to the back of the club. The private rooms, illuminated by a sultry crimson glow and sectioned off from the rest of the club by dark black curtains, was a much quieter and more secluded area than the stage. Aria might've gone far enough as to call the experience intimate.

Aria followed, her heart pounding louder with each step of the dancer's platform heels until they came to the first available lounge. She led Aria in, through the curtain and into a small room with little more decoration than a velvet couch. Not that Aria was interested in any decoration aside from the one that was pushing her into her seat, firmly but gently sitting her down with just one hand.

"Does your friend get teased any?" asked the dancer. She slowly swayed her hips as she approached Aria, each seductive movement threatening to stop Aria's heart in her tracks.

"Uh…?"

"She has such an unusual name, I assumed she must get made fun of for it from time to time." The dancer leaned forward, stopping herself with an arm on either side of Aria, until the two were nearly nose-to-nose. "Or is 'ATM' a nickname?"

Despite her best efforts to remain calm, Aria blushed bright red at that.

"Oh. You saw that," said Aria sheepishly. "Well, the thing is, I didn't plan on—"

"Listen, sugar. As long as the money ends up in my thong, I don't care where you get it from. No matter your excuse, I've heard worse." She brought herself forward, climbing onto the couch and straddling Aria. "Some bozo tried to tip me with a roll of nickels once. Something about my 'coin slot', he said. Charming."

"I just didn't want you to think—"

"Don't worry your pretty little head about what I think. Just…" The dancer leaned forward, gyrating and grinding on Aria as she let out a breathy, airy, gaspy whisper. "Enjoy. The. Show."

The dancer slowly stood up, turning away from Aria to shake her hips and bounce her ass. Aria was, once again, transfixed at the dancer's graceful motions, her titillating movements making Aria extremely thankful that she wasn't a guy, or else she might be embarrassing herself even more. The dancer twirled, pulling the frilly skirt from around her waist and playfully tossing it to Aria, who just so happened to catch it with her face. The garment had much of the dancer's essence, likely from her perfume, and the alluring scent of lavender, lilac, and eucalyptus sending waves of heat radiating through Aria's person.

That heat was in no way alleviated when the dancer slowly bent over, her legs spread as she all but offered herself to Aria. They were so close, and with just a thin bit of black cloth separating their flesh, that Aria had to seriously fight the urge to dive in for a lick. She controlled herself, deciding that no matter how sweet the taste was, it wouldn't be worth a ban from the club and a potential criminal charge.

"You mentioned names," said Aria, striking up a conversation, if for no other reason than to distract herself from just how truly hot and bothered she was. "Do you have one?"

"I do." The dancer stepped back, bringing her rear even closer to Aria before she slowly sat down in her lap, facing away. Despite her answer, she seemed more interested in her routine than actually answering.

"So… You wanna tell me what it is?"

"That's a whole different question, sugar." Though Aria couldn't see her face, due to her own being buried in the soft curls of the dancer's perfectly soft and silky hair, she could imagine the smirk on her perfect lips as the performer chuckled. "But, since you asked… It's Adagio. Adagio Dazzle."

"That's… That's really pretty." For some reason, Aria couldn't breathe. Was it the enclosed nature of the private room? The intense scent of Adagio's perfume? Perhaps a combination of both, or a third thing altogether. Perhaps the way Adagio ground herself against Aria's crotch had something to do with it. "I've never done this before… is it okay to touch?"

"Mh-hm. Just so long as your hands don't go anywhere you wouldn't touch your mother." Adagio turned to face Aria, running her long, acrylic nails gently down her face. "I know how guys get when they have a pretty lady in their lap, and I'm afraid I just don't get paid enough for that kind of thing."

"I'm not a guy," noted Aria.

"When they're horny, everyone is the same. And I bet you're feeling pretty hot under the collar right now, aren't you, sugar?" Adagio's voice was ladened with this superior amusement, almost taunting her client as she gently pressed her knee between Aria's legs. "Does your engine always rev this quickly or should I be flattered?"

"It's… It's been a while. But don't get me wrong." Finally, Aria placed her hands on Adagio's sides, running her fingers up and down her soft, perfect flesh. "You're something special."

"So I've been told." It went quiet for a bit, save for the occasional moan from Adagio as she dances on Aria. "I saw you staring from across the crowd. I saw the way you came up to the stage, the way you looked at me. I saw every twitch and fidget. I saw the movements you didn't even know you made. I know exactly how 'special' I'm making you feel." Adagio leaned in close, letting Aria get another deep huff of her addictive, intoxicating perfume, and let out a low, hoarse sound that was the cross between a moan and a whisper. "I hope you're getting your money's worth."

"That's one way… That's one way to say it." Aria's breath caught in her chest as Adagio leaned back, the dancer pulling her top off to reveal her large, pastied breasts. Aria had seen them on stage, of course, but to be this close to them was an entirely different sensation altogether. "F-fuck…"

"Naughty girl has a dirty tongue," cooed Adagio. She cupped her breasts, raising them and letting them bounce down hypnotically. "You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

"Sorry. Just slipped out…"

"Aww, aren't you adorable? We're both grown-ups, sugar, I'm sure we can handle a bit of coarse language. For your sake, I hope so." Adagio leaned forward, pulling herself above Aria until her nose was buried in Adagio's soft, bountiful cleavage. "You might be bad, but there's not a naughtier girl than me in this building.” She laughed an airy laugh, her voice crawling all up and down Aria’s spine and sending another hot pulse through her chest. “Would you like to see how naughty I can be?”

“Yes, please.” Aria winced at the way that came out, her ears burning at the way Adagio laughed at her. Somehow, it didn’t come off as mocking or condescending, or like Aria was the butt of the joke. She couldn’t quite explain it, but Aria didn’t feel laughed at so much as she felt to be the cause of laughter.

“Left or right?” asked Adagio with a purr. She rolled her hips forward, slowly, sensually humping Aria’s thigh, grinding her knee against Aria and bringing her closer and closer to needing to change her panties.

“R-right…” said Aria, although she wasn’t sure what exactly she was choosing. She let out an almost pitiful whimper as Adagio leaned back, depriving Aria of the scent of her chest and hair that she had grown to love in the past few minutes. Her disappointment evaporated swiftly after, when Adagio ran a hand up her own middle, giving her right breast a firm squeeze and knead before gripping her pasty and slowly peeling it off to reveal her bare nipple. Aria almost choked on air, watching as Adagio pinched and squeezed her own stiff nub between her fingers. “Oh my God…”

“You’re gonna make me blush,” breathed Adagio. She let her hands wander down Aria’s body, her every touch sending an electric arc throughout all of Aria’s being, before leaning back to allow Aria to properly admire her bust. “Believe me, that would be quite the feat. Manage that, and I might have to pull off this other heart, just for being such a sweetie.”

“Can I take you out sometime?”

As soon as the words left her lips, Aria wished to the heavens and the stars that she could’ve taken it back. What was she thinking?! Even someone who didn’t know much about strip clubs knew better than to try to ask out one of the dancers. Aria always considered herself to be a bit smarter than average (especially compared to Sonata), but this was a stupid move the likes of which she never thought possible of herself.

“Oh, you poor thing,” sighed Adagio. “It really has been a while, if you’re resorting to this.”

Aria swallowed her heart back down, regaining some small bit of confidence. She had already made an ass of herself, she reasoned. May as well see it through to the end.

“I know how it sounds. But like I said, I think you’re special. I don’t want tonight to be the last time I see you.”

“My name is on the marquee on the nights I perform.”

“If I have to drop $50 every time I wanted to see you, I’ll be broke in a week,” said Aria. “Just… Could I get your number? Maybe take you to get some coffee sometime?”

“Oh, sugar…” Adagio sighed again, grabbing the pasty on her left breast. She tugged on the scarlet heart for just a bit before letting it go and laughing at the disappointment, desire, and arousal in her client’s eyes. “You were this close…” That laugh returned, the one that threatened to melt Aria into a puddle earlier, followed by Adagio leaning in to let out another moaning whisper. “Funny thing is… My private dances are actually $75. I just so happened to like you.”

“So…Is that a yes?” Aria grinned, her heart pounding like a drum as Adagio slowly slithered down her body and dismounted her entirely. “You’ll give me your number?”

“No. But, you’re going to give me yours,” said Adagio, very matter-of-factly. She leaned forward, gripping Aria under the chin and tilting her face up, staring down at her with those bold, intense eyes. “And, during the course of this week, I am going to decide whether or not I’m going to call you. If I do, then maybe we can discuss that coffee. If not… then it was nice getting to know you now.” Adagio planted a kiss on Aria’s cheek, leaving a faint red mark of lipstick on her face. “Trust me, sugar. This is the best deal you’re going to get, Ms…?”

“A-aria. It’s Aria. And yeah, that works. Works for me.” The air in Aria’s lungs went solid, and she felt like she was going to drown in Adagio’s essence, her fragrance, her intensity. “You have a pen and paper or…”

“I’ll remember it. Or maybe I won’t.” Adagio snickered almost sinisterly at her client. “Suppose you’ll know for sure in a week.”

“It’s 654-9988.”

“Mh-hm. Well, that does it for now, unless you want to make another withdrawal from your ATM friend.” Adagio grabbed Aria by the hand and pulled her to her feet, until the two were just a scant few inches apart. “Hope you enjoyed my routine, Aria.”

Adagio kissed Aria again, this time on the other cheek, before turning and strutting away. Aria was immobile, paralyzed by Adagio’s presence, hypnotized by her swaying hips and bouncy ass as she left the room. She couldn’t believe what happened. It felt so surreal, almost otherworldly. Part of her was tempted to chase down Sonata for another loan, but she thought better of it. Even if Sonata did give her more cash, Aria wasn’t sure she could handle another close-quarters interaction with Adagio just then. She needed to get some air. She needed a smoke.

Most importantly, right then and there, Aria needed to hit the restroom.

Aria stumbled into the restroom, barely able to see straight. Luckily, the lady’s room was empty, so the odds of her embarrassing herself even further were significantly lower. She scrambled across the slick tile floor, bumbling her way to the last stall on the end, as far from the door as possible. Aria slammed the door shut, her shaky hands struggling to lock the stall behind her. When she finally managed to get everything closed away, Aria leaned back against the wall and rolled her jeggings down to her knees.

The green panties she was wearing were soaked, so much so that it was a wonder that Adagio didn’t notice when she was performing her lapdance. A shiver ran down Aria as she slipped her hand past her undies, as the thought dawned on her that Adagio just might’ve. If she was being truthful when she said she noticed Aria’s jitters and breaths, then it was entirely possible that Adagio noticed that Aria was a few moments from blowing her top right there on the couch.

“Fuck…” Aria slapped a palm over her mouth to muffle her moans, rubbing her pussy the way she desperately wanted to the moment Adagio sat on her lap. There were no two ways about it, Adagio had Aria around her finger from the get-go, and if she really wanted to, she could’ve made Aria cum through her tights back in the private lounge. If she would’ve just moved her hips a bit more, put a little more force behind the knee that was grinding against Aria’s pussy, Aria wouldn't have been able to hold back. It was a long time since someone had that type of power over her, and despite the bitter memories, Aria had to admit that it was exhilarating.

Her scent was still heavy in Aria's nose, that powerful fragrance making Aria's head go fuzzy. She couldn't help herself anymore, the power and presence of Adagio compelling Aria to slide two fingers into her slit. It felt like a fire was lit inside of Aria, her fingers pushing deeper into her core, the heat and pressure growing the deeper she ventured. She could still feel Adagio in her lap, still feel those nails running gently down her face, giving her shivers and goosebumps.

If the two had been any closer, they would've been doing the deed. That soft, tender kiss on the cheek, that sultry voice and the way she called her "sugar" drove Aria mad. She worked her fingers faster, sliding in and out, up and down, squeezing and releasing and bringing her closer and closer to the edge. She wondered what Adagio would do if she were here to watch. Would she offer to finish Aria off? Would she touch her, run those nails softly down Aria's flesh again, giving her goosebumps with every stroke of the hand? Would she even let Aria finish at all? Maybe she'd just grab her by the pigtails and force her to her knees, and ride Aria's face until she was satisfied. Or maybe she'd just shake her head and laugh.

That laugh. Aria couldn't get it out of her head, that slithering, silky, sleek laugh made Aria's ears burn, her cheeks burn, her very center. She knew Adagio must've been laughing at her to some extent, but she didn't care. In fact, she welcomed it. Aria would've embarrassed herself over and over again, anything to hear that laugh again. It was that laugh, maybe even more so than the smell, the fading memory of Adagio's supple lip against her cheek, that occupied Aria's mind then. It didn't bother her that she was crammed in a bathroom stall, fingering herself silly. It wouldn't be the first time.

"Why… Why did you want me to do that?"

"I get off on it. Do I really need a reason?"

Aria let out a shuddering moan, jerking her hips against her hand as she came. Her fingers worked overtime, drilling her tunnel in an attempt to push back the bad memories. She focused on her pleasure, the euphoria of her orgasm and, above all else, Adagio. She could imagine it now, how Adagio would react if she knew. She'd probably laugh, make some remark about how cute it was that she had this effect on Aria. If Aria was really lucky, she might even get another kiss out of it.

There was a buzzing sound coming from her pocket, and Aria fell back onto the toilet seat before hurriedly fishing out her phone. Her heart pounded, threatening to stop altogether, and she slowly, expectantly turned the screen up to face her. It was Sonata, of course, it was Sonata. Obvious. If Adagio was going to go through the trouble of teasing so much that she wouldn't even say definitively if she would call at all, there was next to no chance that she would call in just a few minutes, and Aria knew that. Plus, she was still working, maybe even going out on stage again to shake, shimmy, and swing her perfect body around the pole right then.

Aria shook her head, then answered the call and put it to her ear.

"What?" she asked, perhaps a tone more aggressively than she intended.

"Good news and bad news. Good news is, this bachelor party ruled!" said Sonata, barely audible over the club's music. "Bad news… Flash here is a lightweight and is too drunk to stand. He kinda passed out with his face between some girl's cheeks, I need you to help me muscle him up and get him in the Uber."

"Yeah. Yeah, okay, I'm about ready to split anyway." Aria looked down at herself, her panties even more soaked than they were before, and quickly began to peel her leggings off. "Just gimme a sec, I'm in the bathroom. Some dipshit spilled his drink on me, I need to wash up."

"Okay. The car should be here in about five."

Aria grunted something that could very charitably be described as an agreement before hanging up and setting her phone on the ground so she could finish undressing; once the leggings were gone, so too were the panties, and Aria dried herself as best as she could with toilet paper before returning her pants to her body. Based on how wet the panties were, there was no chance of her getting all the way home without some embarrassing questions. Time to cut her losses.

Aria pushed open the stall, letting out the breath she had been holding in and surveying the area. No one else had come in while she was busy, which was objectively a good thing, although Aria had to admit herself a bit disappointed. She knew it wouldn't have made sense for her to be here, and that the performers likely had their own restrooms, but her mind was still fuzzy from the afterglow. The fantasy of Adagio, standing outside the stall, waiting with a hand on her hip for Aria to emerge…

"Yeah. Right."

Aria shook her head before quickly washing her hands at the sink. She took the opportunity to splash some cold water on her face, hopefully wash some of Adagio's lipstick off. She wasn't totally successful, but it was dark and Sonata would probably be tipsy enough to not notice anyhow. There was no use delaying, no point in dwelling on her fantasy. All she could do is go home and wait.

With a lethargic toss, Aria bucketed her ruined panties into the trash can before setting off to find her friend and drag Flash's face out of a stripper's ass. Despite all that happened, Aria chuckled to herself as she exited the restroom.

"Maybe bachelor parties aren't that bad, after all…"

What Sober Couldn't Say

Strictly speaking, Adagio wasn't lying.

She didn't lie often, never having much need to do so. She had the smarts, charm, and most importantly, money to get herself out of almost any unsavory situation. More than just that, Adagio was a big enough woman to admit if she had done wrong, and to accept the consequences of that. So, while she would oftentimes be coy and elusive in the hopes of making Aria flustered, Adagio didn't want to ever lie directly to Aria.

Sometimes, however, dishonesty was a necessity.

"You really think she'll be okay with this?” asked Sonata. Adagio hummed to herself, phone to her ear as she waited at the bistro that Sunset had invited her to. Still, Sunset herself was nowhere to be seen, which gave Adagio a bit of time to make a few calls, namely to Sonata.

“Eventually. I’ll make it up to her somehow,” said Adagio. “But I need to do this. And I need you not to tell Aria until after the fact.”

“Come on, I don’t wanna lie to Aria. She’s my best friend.”

“You don’t have to lie. Just keep her occupied." Adagio looked up, her eyes falling on her lunch guest. "I have to go. Thanks for doing a girl a favor, sugar. I'll make it up to you, to both of you."

"Alright… Just be careful. Don't do anything crazy," said Sonata.

"I'll be fine."

"It's not you that I'm worried about."

Adagio chuckled to herself, hanging up her phone and slipping it into her purse, folding her hands in front of her as Sunset made her approach. She was dressed casually, too casually. Yoga pants and a t-shirt, contrasting starkly with Adagio's designer blouse and skirt. That wasn't to say Sunset Shimmer was hurting for confidence, far from it. She carried herself with an aura that spoke to Adagio, as if to say Sunset only showed up because she had nothing better to do.

"Hey, Ada, glad you could make it." Sunset flashed Adagio a grin, throwing up two fingers in greeting. "Is it okay if I call you that? I'm a nickname-y kinda person."

"Trust me, I've been called worse," said Adagio dismissively. She crossed her legs, trying to maintain a cordial, pleasant, friendly demeanor. She wasn't sure if she succeeded. "I'm surprised that you still agreed to meet me, even after Aria canceled."

"It's a bummer Aria and Nata couldn't make it, but what can you do? Either way, I like meeting new people," said Sunset. "So, why don't we get to know each other?"

"That's a dangerous game, but I'm in for it if you are."

"Good, good. So, how long have you and Aria been dating?"

For the briefest of moments, Adagio froze, unable to pull together a response. Luckily, the waiter chose that time to arrive, giving Adagio a moment to collect herself. The two ordered, though Adagio was hardly concerned about what she'd be eating just then, and, once the waiter departed, Adagio finally got her head back into the game.

"What makes you think we're dating?" she countered. To her mild annoyance, Sunset laughed at her, as if Adagio herself was the joke.

"Come on, sweetheart, I'm not stupid," chuckled Sunset. "You've got a decent poker face, but Aria's an open book once you know how to push her buttons, and no one knows Aria's buttons better than me."

"I don't know. I'm pretty good at pushing buttons, myself."

"I bet. So, how long? A month? Two?"

"Six, actually. Almost to the day," said Adagio. She studied Sunset carefully, trying to glean as much as she could from the casual, nonchalant, confident, and ever-present smirk on Sunset's face. "We're taking it slow." Again, Sunset laughed, and again, it annoyed Adagio greatly. "Oh no, I missed the joke."

"No, no, it's nothing. Just, ya know, you think you're taking it slow," chuckled Sunset. "And hey, maybe you are, but not Aria. She doesn't know how to take it slow, she's probably already picking out names for the kids you have together."

"You sound confident."

"You know, she said she was in love with me on our first date. That probably should've been a red flag, but I guess I didn't know any better. So, quick word to the wise." Sunset sipped her water, either unbothered by Adagio's barely-hidden glare or otherwise blissfully unaware of it. "Either get ready to speed up or cut her loose now. If you think you're one thing and Aria thinks you're another… Well, I'm sure you know how she can get."

"Don't you think it's a bit of a conflict of interests for the ex to be giving relationship advice?"

"Ooh, Ada, didn't peg you as the jealous type," laughed Sunset. "You seem more confident than that, but I guess looks can be deceiving."

"Not jealous, no." Adagio's voice slipped from her previous strained politeness, suddenly becoming as serious as a heart attack. "More like… Territorial. Mama Bear doesn't like when someone tries fucking with her cub."

"Trust me, I've had enough of your cub for one lifetime. Don't know if she told you, but I'm the one who broke up with her. I'm not looking to get her back. But, you know, I wanted to talk more about you." Sunset changed the subject effortlessly, trying (and mostly succeeding) to wrest control of the situation from Adagio, a sensation that she found as unfamiliar as it was unpleasant. "Tell me about Adagio. What're you like? What do you do? Who are you?"

"Oh, you know. Just your average, run-of-the-mill exotic dancer turned business owner," remarked Adagio. "I suppose I lean towards the finer things in life, but don't we all?"

"A dancer, huh? Where do you dance?" asked Sunset. "I've been to a lot of strip clubs, and if you've been doing this a while I might actually know you. Or your tits, at least."

"Strip joint called The Calypso."

"Oof, that place? Last I saw it, it was a dump. The type of place to give you an STI just for walking in."

"I happen to own that dump," said Adagio, crossing her arms. "We've fixed it up since you were last there."

"Oh. Whoops! My bad." Despite her apology, Sunset didn't seem especially sorry. She didn't seem to take any of this especially seriously, least of all Adagio herself. "Sorry, didn't mean anything by it. I just have a habit of running my mouth, you should—"

"How's about we cut the shit?" Adagio hadn't meant to lose her temper. She had always intended to maintain calm during this meeting, but it was becoming increasingly clear that she wouldn't be capable of that, not with Sunset. The simple truth was Adagio didn't like to be toyed with, something Sunset was doing in spades. "Let's be honest with each other, yeah? Why did you want to have lunch with me, really?"

"So fiery. I see why Aria likes you. And that's actually why I wanted to talk to you. Aria."

"I thought you said you were done with her."

"I am, and I'm here to let you know that maybe you should be too." Sunset let the silence hang over them for a bit, some of her former good nature melting away into something more serious, more sinister. "Since you like to be so direct, let's call a spade a spade here, Ada. Aria's with you because she misses me. She sees another strong, tough, self-sufficient redhead hottie, her brain shuts off and she starts thinking with her pussy."

"And that makes me what?" asked Adagio, cocking a brow. "Sunset Shimmer Lite?"

"It's not me who's thinking that, Ada. It's your girl, even if she doesn't realize it. She's picking up right where she and I left off, and that doesn't bode well for a girl like you who's trying to take it slow." Sunset leaned in, resting her head in her hand as she lectured Adagio. "I've been there, with Aria. I know her better than you, better than anyone. You're waiting around, enjoying yourself, waiting to see what happens, when I already know what's gonna happen."

"Enlighten me."

"Aria is gonna base her entire self-worth around you, build herself so precariously that one little push sends her tumbling. She's going to attach herself to you like she's some leech. A cute leech, for sure, but she's going to drain you if you can't give her what she wants. Lemme ask you something, Ada. Have you said 'I love you' yet?" Sunset paused for just a beat, Adagio's silence speaking volumes. "Exactly, and it's totally fine if you're not there yet. I know that, you know that, but Aria… She doesn't get it. She's going to need you to say it, those three little words, I love you, and you're not going to be able to say them. Not honestly. And when you get to that point, and she realizes you can't say it, she's going to self-destruct. Whether intentional or not, she's going to take you down with her."

"So perceptive. I appreciate the advice, Sunset." Adagio leaned forward, officially giving up on her friendly facade. "But I didn't fucking ask for it."

"No, 'course not. You wouldn't, because you think I'm just being a petty ex. I get it, I'd feel the same way, Ada. But I'm on your side," promised Sunset. "One day, when Aria does what Aria does, you'll see that. " Adagio's phone rattled against the table, vibrating from a new notification. "You gonna take that?"

"I suppose I should." Adagio stared Sunset down even as she grabbed her phone, only breaking eye contact to read Aria's message.

Hey babe. Been thinking about you.

There was her chance, her opportunity to shut Sunset up for good. Three words, she was more than capable of those three words. And yet, for some reason, they felt so difficult, so ridiculous.

I love you.

Adagio's thumb paused over the "send" button, a strange sense of doubt washing over her. She couldn't stand the sensation. There was hardly a time that Adagio could recall where she wasn't supremely confident and sure of herself. She thrived on confidence, on control, but these three simple words shook her very foundation to pieces. She deleted her message and tried again.

Can't get me out of your head, can you?

Adagio couldn't help but smirk at the speed at which Aria responded.

Never could. When can I see you?

"Oh, that's too bad," sighed Adagio. "Work stuff is happening. I'm afraid I'm going to have to bail on lunch."

On my way to get you.

"I get it. Sucks that we have to call it quits," said Sunset with a cocky little smirk. "I was having a blast."

"Well, business comes first. Here, lunch is on me." Adagio reached into her purse and came back with a crisp $50 bill, tossing it on the table as she rose from her seat. "We'll have to do this again sometime."

"For sure. Text me what time to come see you dance, I'd love to see what you've done with that place. Maybe you could even give me a few tips, huh? I bet lessons from a stripper will make it even easier to pick up chicks."

Adagio stopped, genuinely considering things for a moment. After a while, she let out a chuckle, turning away to leave the restaurant.

"Afraid I'd have to charge you for that."

"I don't know about you, but I could go for a drink, sugar."

Aria smiled, barely able to contain herself as she followed Adagio into her lavish apartment. After a whole morning of Sonata dragging her around from store to store, trying on somewhere north of a billion blouses, bikinis, and pairs of heels in search of the perfect outfit for the coming summer, Aria was more than a little burned out. She didn’t really understand why Sonata chose her, someone who knew about as much about fashion as she did about theoretical astrophysics, to help her expand on her wardrobe. In fact, considering Sonata’s job as a social media manager often put her in close quarters with fashion designers from all over the country, it was odd that Sonata was even questioning her own style at all.

Of course, considering Adagio was swinging her shapely hips as she bounced into the apartment, Aria was more focused on Adagio’s butt than anything regarding Sonata.

“I’ll drink,” said Aria, her eyes so glued to her girlfriend’s backside that she nearly walked into the coffee table. “What do you got?”

“A whole liquor store, sugar. Lemme guess.” Adagio slid behind the bar, grabbing up glasses, shakers, and bottles of liquor. “Gin and juice, easy on the juice?”

“You’re never gonna let me live that down, huh?”

“I bet it sounded so cool in your head. What, did you think you were James Bond or something?” The two shared a laugh as Adagio mixed up Aria’s drink, sliding it across the bar before mixing up an old fashioned for herself. “So, what’ve you been up to all day, sugar?”

“Just shopping with Sonata. I was gonna invite you, but she was acting kinda weird about it,” said Aria, sipping her drink. “She said she didn’t wanna try out bikinis and stuff with too many people around, but like, the point of the bikini is to wear it at the beach, so…” Adagio skipped right past sipping and just downed her cocktail, immediately preparing herself another. “Whoa. Rough day?”

“You could say that. Just some… Things I need to deal with.” Adagio brought her glass to her lips, but paused for a moment, a sort of hesitation in her movements that Aria couldn’t recall ever seeing in her. It looked as if she was going to say something, but thought better of it in favor of draining her second drink. “I had a meeting earlier, it wasn’t exactly what I’d call a good time.”

“Something wrong with the club?” Aria leaned in, concerned when Adagio skipped all pretenses of cocktails and simply poured herself a neat whiskey. “Seriously, you’re headed for a blackout at this rate.”

“You know, my dear old dad used to call liquor a ‘truth serum’. Whenever he had something to say that he couldn’t get out… He reached for a bottle,” said Adagio, taking a more careful sip of her whiskey. “And, in the interest of the truth, I should tell you…”

“Is something up? This isn’t like you, to be so… coy about it,” said Aria, her concern, her fear, her anxiety slowly simmering up. “What’s going on?”

“I… I had lunch with Sunset today.” Adagio paused, to give Aria a chance to respond, but she didn’t. The silence just hung for a bit until Adagio continued on. “After what you told us… I had to see for myself.”

“What, you thought I was lying?”

“If I thought you were lying, I wouldn’t have wasted the time making sure this bitch wasn’t trying to hurt you again,” said Adagio. Her blunt, direct honesty beat back the wild and uneasy nature of Aria’s insecurity. Slowly, Aria nodded, waiting for Adagio to tell her story before she jumped to the worst-case scenario. “I just had to see what her deal was with my own eyes, and she didn’t disappoint.”

“What’d she say?”

“Basically that you’re only with me because you’re still not over her. That you think I’m just a knock-off of her.” Adagio snorted, rolling her eyes in disgust. “And here I thought I had an ego…”

“Yeah. Sounds like her,” sighed Aria. “She’s got her claws sunk in me so deep… But it’s bullshit, really. You’re not my second choice or anything like that.”

“She said… Well, she said a lot of things. But the point that she was getting at was that we’re not compatible. Because you want something I can’t give you,” said Adagio. She polished off her drink and set her glass down, burying her face in her palms. “And I just want you to know… Fuck. I’m losing it, give me a sec…”

“Hey. You don’t have to ‘give’ me anything, okay? Not if you’re not ready for it.” Aria rounded the bar, wrapping her arm around Adagio and giving her a gentle squeeze. “I get that you’re not really used to this whole girlfriend thing, and to be honest, neither am I. But I’m here for you like you’re here for me. Wherever you’re trying to get, I’m here to make sure you get there.”

“Well, I’m almost there. One step closer with every swallow.” Adagio unscrewed her bottle of whiskey and took a healthy swing before setting it down with authority. “Okay. Listen, sugar, I know how I seem. I can come off as cold, like I don’t care about anything except fucking with your head, but it’s not like that. I do care. I care so much, and it really pisses me off that I can’t seem to make that clear. Even Shimmer thinks I’m just here to play with you. She said I couldn’t say it, and you know what? Fuck her. She doesn’t know me, and she doesn’t know us.”

“Adagio… Are you okay right now?” asked Aria. Her heart was pounding like a drum in her chest, her mind racing a million miles per hour as she fit pieces of this puzzle together. “What are you—”

“I love you, Aria.”

Aria's heart just about stopped in her chest. It seemed so surreal to hear Adagio say those words, a sentence Aria had secretly feared she would never hear again. It felt so out of nowhere, for Adagio to put herself out there like that. No matter how much Adagio cared for Aria, no matter how much chemistry, no matter how much mutual attraction, the idea of Adagio opening herself up this much felt so foreign. She had been very clear before, she wasn't good at playing house, so what changed? The only thing Aria could think of, the dark idea gnawing at the back of her mind, was that it was just to prove Sunset wrong. It wouldn't be the first time Aria had been a pawn to someone's ego.

But, as the words resonated through her head, Aria realized that Adagio wasn't like Sunset. And, just as importantly, it didn't matter why Adagio had said it, because Adagio wasn't a liar.

"I love you too." Aria felt her body move on its own, grabbing Adagio and bringing their lips together. The taste of whiskey subtly perfumed their kiss, Adagio's slight inebriation making for a bit sloppier of a meeting than the two were typically accustomed to. Aria didn't mind that, though. It made things feel more spontaneous, and even more interestingly, it put her and Adagio on even grounds.

Aria snaked her hand up Adagio's blouse, gently squeezing a handful of her soft breast and earning her a small moan from the dancer. With Adagio's boob in her hand, Aria lowered her attack, slowly kissing Adagio down the neck and collar. Every moan from Adagio sent a thrilling shock through Aria's core; She was the reason Adagio was making these noises. Aria was finally making Adagio feel the way she always felt whenever the two were together.

"This might be a silly question," breathed Adagio, leaning her head back to allow Aria to continue peppering her collar with kisses. "But do girls get whiskey dick? I don't drink and fuck much, but right now…"

"Wanna take this to the bed?" suggested Aria.

"What for, sugar? I've got a perfectly comfortable couch right there."

Neither woman wanted to pull away from the other, and they essentially dragged each other from behind the bar, stumbling over one another on the way to the sofa. They fell back onto the cushions, Aria landing on top and not slowing her advances in the slightest. Her hands wandered up and down Adagio’s divine figure, her soft skin so enticing that Aria couldn’t imagine being apart from it for even a second. While Aria was busy groping and kissing, Adagio took the time to reach behind her back and undo her bra strap, pulling both the brassiere and her top off in one smooth motion. Almost immediately, Aria froze, transfixed and hypnotized by Adagio’s bouncing girls.

“You’re staring, sugar,” noted Adagio. Aria blinked slowly, nodding to herself.

“Yeah. Sorry. It’s just…” Aria rose up, gently cupping Adagio’s breasts in her hands. “You’re so beautiful… I can’t get over it.”

“You’re gonna make me blush.” Adagio let out a chuckle as Aria eagerly dove forward, burying her face in the stripper’s cleavage. The warmth, the softness, the floral notes of Adagio’s perfume, it all blended together to create a space Aria couldn’t imagine ever wanting to be away from. She never stopped kissing Adagio’s silken skin, not even when she was essentially motorboating her, and she could feel the steady pounding of Adagio’s heart quicken with each passing moment. “Do you wanna play with my tits all night or are you ready to sing for me again?”

“Actually…” Even as she spoke, it was a war for Aria to pull herself away from Adagio’s chest, but she did eventually manage to look up into Adagio’s bold garnet eyes. “I kinda wanna try something.”

“What do you have in mind, sugar?”

“Could you maybe… Sit on my face a little?” Aria blushed, almost incapable of meeting Adagio’s gaze. Her embarrassment bloomed when Adagio chuckled, that same melodic, floating laughter that made Aria fall for her in the first place. “What’s funny?”

“Okay, sugar, I don’t know if you’ve somehow managed to miss it, but… My ass is huge,” laughed Adagio. “One cheek is the size of your whole head. If I sit on your face, I will crush your skull.”

“Why do you think I asked?”

“I’m serious. I’m quite a bit bigger than you, and as much as I would love to feel you underneath me, eating my pussy like manna from heaven…” Adagio stroked a hand through Aria’s hair, gently patting her head. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take. Come on, you made me cum so hard the other day, let me repay the favor.” Aria could tell Adagio was still on the fence, so she quickly amended. “How about, like, a safe word or something? So you know if I need to take a breather.”

“Yes, because I’m sure I’ll be able to clearly hear your safeword while your mouth is busy eating my ass.”

“A safe… Gesture then. Something. I’ll, uh… I’ll tap on your right thigh three times, alright? Does that work?”

“You really want this, huh?” said Adagio with a smirk. Aria nodded eagerly, and with determination, such a genuine, earnest attraction that Adagio couldn’t help but smile. “Alright, then. Fine. Just know that we’re switching positions tomorrow."

"Done. God, you don't have to talk me into letting you go down on me," promised Aria. "If you managed to do that to me with one hand, I think your tongue might actually kill me."

"Well, you're the pussy eating professional here. Give me a demonstration." Adagio boosted her hips up, sliding out of her skirt to reveal that she had skipped out on panties today; Aria all but drooled at the sight of Adagio's fat, meaty pussy, the darkly orange hair neatly and delicately trimmed. Simply perfect. Like a moth to the flame, Aria was drawn forward and planted a kiss on Adagio's lower lips. She brought her tongue out and finally did what she had been dreaming of since that first lap dance; Aria licked a slow, teasing line up Adagio's slit, savoring the taste, an earthy tang that came together with the lavender scent of the soap Adagio tended to favor to create an experience Aria didn't just want more of, but needed. "Don't tease me too much, sugar. That's Mama's job.”

Aria nodded, attacking Adagio’s muff with a bit more conviction. She wriggled her tongue into Adagio’s hole, slurping and lapping at her juices, diving in deep enough for Adagio’s well-kempt bush to tickle her nose. Adagio let out a moan, her powerful legs coming to grip Aria's head and a hand pulling her by the hair and forcing her deeper.

"Good girl," purred Adagio. "You like eating Mommy's pussy, don't you?"

It was more than like, Aria loved it, she lived for it. Every tiny twitch of Adagio's body brought with it a wave of satisfaction that warmed Aria in a way she couldn't quite put into words. The simple fact was that making Adagio feel good made her feel even better, and so Aria set out to give Adagio her all.

With a swift jerk left, Adagio turned Aria over onto the couch, putting the smaller girl's back to the cushions and standing over her loomingly. Though there had always been a notable height difference between the two, Aria couldn't recall a time when she felt as tiny as she did with Adagio above her. Her sensual curves, her powerful thighs, her juicy twat, and Aria had only a second to take in a deep breath before she was smothered by all of it.

Adagio moaned as she lowered herself onto Aria's face, the smaller girl immediately going to work. Her tongue licked at every bit of Adagio it could get to, working in tandem with her lips to send arcs up Adagio's spine. Aria's hands wandered up to grab Adagio by the ass, her fingers all but melting into the soft, cushy flesh, and held her in place as she ate her out. A river of juices trickled slowly down Aria's chin, each lash of the tongue and smack of the lips bringing another moan from the formerly stoic and restrained dancer.

"Fuck, that's good, sugar," moaned Adagio. She let more of her weight come down on Aria's head when she leaned in to grab her hair for support, both moves Aria was more than okay with. "Good girl… Just like that, don't you dare fucking stop…"

The moans from above sent Aria quaking beneath Adagio's body, her head going light from the combination of her own heightened nerves and a lack of air in her lungs. All she had been breathing for the past few minutes was the powerful, intoxicating essence of Adagio, the same addicting lavender scent that Aria had grown to associate with her girlfriend, and yet, beneath that, was more. A tangy, earthy scent and flavor, blinding Aria as she licked and kissed and worshipped Adagio above her. Even still, Aria was starting to feel dizzy, and no matter how badly Aria wanted to taste more of Adagio, she regretfully had to tap out, her hand coming up to tap Adagio's strong thigh three times.

"Fuck…" Immediately, Adagio pushed herself up, freeing Aria from her "prison". Aria looked up as she caught her breath, staring up at Adagio's pussy for a moment before she wiggled out of the way to allow Adagio to take a seat on the couch. "Mmm… What happened to being rusty?"

"It's like riding a bike…" painted Aria. "You never really… Fuck, man… You taste so good…"

"You really know how to make a girl feel special, don't you, sugar?"

"Only the really special girls like you."

"Alright, you've officially sweet-talked me," said Adagio, pulling her hair back. "Get out of those clothes, sugar."

"But… What about you?" asked Aria. "I really want to make you… Y'know."

"Hm… How much do you weigh? Just roughly?"

"Uh… like a buck fifteen. What are you thinking?"

Adagio grabbed Aria by the collar, pulling her in close and yanking Aria's top off. Aria would've had no problem getting naked for Adagio (especially considering their entire relationship was based on Adagio getting naked for her), so this aggression was unnecessary, but not unwanted. The way Adagio grabbed her, pulled her along to be right where she wanted, made Aria's heart thump in her chest. Her jeans went next, similarly pulled off by the larger woman, and finally, Aria's purple boyshorts, until she was naked as the day she was born.

"I'm going to turn you upside down for a bit," said Adagio. She grabbed Aria's chest, teasing a moan from her when she brushed a thumb against her sensitive nipples. "That way, we both get to put our mouths to work."

"Couldn't we just—"

"Yes, but isn't this more interesting?" Adagio waited for an argument to the contrary and, when she received none, she grinned. "What, you afraid I'll drop you?"

"Uh… maybe a little?"

"Don't be. Mommy's not going to let you get hurt," purred Adagio. She noticed the way her tone made Aria stiffen, any disagreement she had swiftly melting away. "Worst case scenario… Well, we're on a couch. I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Yeah, you're right. Okay. Ready when you are," breathed Aria. "Just give me a wa—"

Adagio was already moving, grabbing Aria by the legs and using some deceptive strength to hoist her up off of her feet. Once Aria was up, she was carefully turned over, head facing down as Adagio leaned back against the couch. Now, Aria found herself upside-down, nose brushing Adagio's neatly-trimmed bush as she wiggled down to go right back to eating her out. At the same time, Adagio leaned herself forward to tongue Aria's tight, snug little pussy.

Despite being upside down, despite being at the mercy of a woman self-described as a lioness, Aria couldn't remember feeling more secure, more safe. Being with Adagio just felt right, a feeling she just couldn't put into words. Adagio's arm around her middle, her soft skin, the gentle squeeze of her legs around Aria's head, it was as soothing an encounter as Aria could remember having.

Adagio tipped them over onto her side, knocking the pair to the couch with many a breathy laugh. Now that they were grounded, they could better focus on pleasing the other; they licked and kissed, introducing their fingers into the mix to aid them in their efforts. The feel of Adagio's tongue on her flesh, her fingers wriggling into her, and the gentle squeeze of Adagio's thick thighs around her head, it was almost too much for Aria.

Her hips jerked towards Adagio's face, turning them over until Adagio was facing skyward. A shiver and shudder ran through Aria’s thin, slender body, which told Adagio everything she needed to know; She worked her tongue faster, holding Aria in place by her pelvis, keeping her thrashing body from escaping this pleasure. Even when somewhat tipsy, Adagio had Aria in the palm of her hand, just like she always did. It wasn’t long before Adagio was greeted by the sweet, sweet music of Aria moaning around her tongue. To Adagio’s surprise, Aria showed no signs of slowing down; In fact, she did the exact opposite, catching Adagio off guard with the ferocity, the dedication, the almost desperation in which she worked her tongue. Adagio tensed, closing her legs tightly around Aria’s head, and let out a low, breathless, quivering moan.

Finally, Aria had done it. She finally managed to show Adagio how much she wanted her, what she really meant to her, and the sound of Adagio cumming was worth every second of the wait. Somehow, Adagio even felt powerful in her climax, clenching around Aria and holding her there until she was good and ready to let go, at which point she finally relaxed, her body going limp and allowing Aria to roll off of her. Aria went all the way to the floor, sitting with her back to the couch and laying her head back onto Adagio’s middle, feeling the rise and fall of the dancer’s chest as she drew in her labored breaths.

“Fuck me…” laughed Adagio, bringing an arm to her forehead and covering her eyes. “Forget what I said earlier, sugar. That right there is what really made me feel special.”

“You did good. Seeing as this was your first time and all,” panted Aria. She glanced up at Adagio, almost expectantly. “Did I, uh… Do a good job?”

“Hm? I thought that much was pretty obvious…” Adagio paused, laughing to herself as she realized what it was that Aria was getting at. With her other hand, she petted Aria’s head, stroking her fingers through her long purple locks lovingly. “Yes, sugar. You were such a good girl for Mommy.”

“Woo-hoo... I, heh… I really like when you say… stuff like that…”

“Duly noted, sugar. I'll keep that in mind the next time I have your head between my legs. Speaking of…" Adagio propped herself up on her elbows, grinning down at Aria. "Does Mommy's good girl have plans tomorrow?"

"Uh… just have to go to the office for like an hour to turn something in to the boss," said Aria. "So, aside from that, I'm all yours."

"Good. Then why don't you text Sonata and let her know not to wait up?" said Adagio, leaning in to kiss Aria on the forehead. "I've almost got the hang of this pussy eating thing. Maybe if you give me another demonstration or two."

Aria felt her legs go even weaker, trying to remember what she had done to end up with someone like Adagio.

"My pleasure."

Familiar Taste Of Poison

“Okay, so just run this by me one more time. I feel like I'm missing something.”

Aria rolled her eyes, turning away from the bathroom mirror to face Sonata. Despite Aria insisting that this was a serious situation, Sonata decided that now was the time to paint her nails, and so she was in the bathroom with Aria while her friend got ready for the night. Even still, with Sonata sitting on the toilet tank to let her toenails dry and occasionally heckling her, Aria was focused on the task at hand.

“I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you,” sighed Aria. “Look, it's like this: Adagio is mad at me because I did something dumb, and she thinks I did that dumb thing because I might still have feelings for Sunset.”

“You do,” noted Sonata. Despite the interruption, Aria continued on.

“So to prove to Adagio—and myself—that I don't still have feelings for Sunset, I'm gonna go talk to her. Wallflower is throwing a party, Sunset already posted about being there. All I have to do is go to the party, meet up with Sunset, talk things out, and everything will fix itself. I get over my issues with Sunset, she butts out of my life, and Adagio sees that I'm willing to work to fix our relationship. Win-win-win.”

“So you pissed off your smoking hot girlfriend in an attempt to show off to your toxic ex, and your plan to fix things is to go to a party that you know said ex is going to be at, alone, without your girlfriend, despite proving on multiple occasions that your ex clouds your judgment and forces you to make bad decisions?” asked Sonata. Slowly, almost as if stunned by the extremely accurate breakdown of events, Aria nodded. “Right. And somehow, I'm the dumb one in our relationship.”

“It's a good plan!”

“Ari, beb, it's a terrible plan. It's, like, the worst idea you have ever had.”

“Why? Why is it such a bad idea?” demanded Aria. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn't go to this party.”

“It makes you look desperate. It's going to put you in an emotional spot, and you make bad decisions when you're emotional. It gives Sunset tons of opportunity to take advantage of you, which is basically all she ever does nowadays.” Sonata counted off the many flaws in Aria's “genius” plan, shaking her head in disbelief. “You just had a fight with Ada a week ago, and now you're about to be sneaking out behind her back to go to a party that you know your ex is at. It's a terrible look. You're already on thin ice, and now you're risking what little trust Adagio has in you, all to prove a point that, deep down, you don't even truly believe yourself.”

It went quiet for a bit, and Aria found herself seriously rethinking her life's choices.

“I only asked for one…” murmured Aria.

“Aria, you were given God's gift to lesbians on a silver platter, and I swear if you fumble this bag—for the girl who left you—I will never forgive you.”

“I won't! Besides, you got it all wrong. It's not like I'm not sneaking around behind Adagio’s back or whatever. I want to tell her what I'm up to. It's just, y'know… She doesn't want to talk to me right now…”

“Gee, I wonder why.”

“Look, if you're so concerned about me, you could always come with,” said Aria, with an air of finality in her voice. It was obvious that, no matter what the facts said, Aria was going along with her plan. “You could be my safety rope, pull me out of hot water. Not that I'm gonna get in any hot water, because my plan is good and it's gonna work.”

“Can't. I've got my own plans,” said Sonata. “What, you think I'm doing my toes for fun?”

“I assumed your date had a kink.”

“You should talk. But no, it's not a date. If you must know, it's a dinner party, for work.” Seemingly content with the state of her polish, Sonata jumped up from the toilet and bumped Aria aside with her hip so that she could have a turn at the mirror to style her hair. “One of the companies I promote for invited me, there's gonna be like magazine editors and stuff. Super bougie, but it could be good for my career.”

“Fine. I don't need you anyway, I'll be fine,” lied Aria, so convincingly that she very nearly believed herself. “Good luck with your party thing.”

“Thanks, beb. And, like, you're sure I can't talk you out of this? Maybe we can go outside of her window and hold up a boombox like in those cheesy rom-coms?” suggested Sonata. Firmly, unflinchingly, irritatingly stubbornly, Aria shook her head. “Lord have mercy… Well, if I can't make you see sense, then good luck. Hope you know what you're doing.”

Sonata set off to finish preparing, leaving Aria alone with her thoughts. She wasn't used to Sonata serving as the voice of reason, so she didn't really know how to react when she raised some compelling points. Even still, despite all of Sonata's well-constructed arguments, Aria was determined. She had made this mess for herself, and she was going to clean it up.

“Yeah, yeah,” sighed Aria. “Me too…”

The thumping sound of party music guided Aria's path up the winding staircase, up to the topmost floor of the complex. As she made her way up, it dawned on her that she'd actually been there before. She helped Wallflower move into the place seemingly lifetimes ago. Despite that, she had next to no recollection of seeing the place until she made her way to apartment 546, and felt her hand tapping on the door. A short second later, the door swung open, and the host was there to greet her.

“Hey, Aria, welcome!” Wallflower was always awkward, a bit uncomfortable around others, and never was that trait more obvious than when she was attempting to hide it. Her forced smile was almost painful to look at, but it quickly faded into sheer, unadulterated panic. “Oh no, you came!”

“Uh… nice to see you, too?” Aria cocked a brow but didn't take it to heart. An old friend from high school, it was almost nice to see that Wallflower still had that unfortunate habit of eating her own foot whenever she was nervous. “Don't know if you remember, but you, like, invited me?”

“I know, but I didn't think you'd actually come! You never come to any of these parties! I was just trying to be nice…”

“So… am I uninvited or…?”

“No, it's not like that! It's just…” Wallflower looked left, then right, as if afraid of being caught, and whispered. “She's already here!”

“What, Sunset?” Aria rolled her eyes. “Good, I came here to see her.”

“Oh. You did? Why would you…? Oh. Oh, no. No!” Wallflower was clearly frazzled, but she soon stood up a bit straighter, adopting a confidence as flimsy as it was inauthentic. “Look, I know you used to call me a doormat, and I know we haven't been close like we used to be, but I still consider you my friend, and I would be a very, very bad friend if I let you go in there and try to get back with your ex, so I'm sorry, but I can’t—”

“I'm not trying to get back with her. Jesus, Wally, you're being even more of a spaz than I remember.” Aria stepped forward and essentially elbowed past Wallflower, who meekly stepped out of the way. “Look, I did something bad, and I just wanted to apologize and clear the air, then I'm out of here. I promise, no drama or anything like that at your super cool party.”

“Oh, ok.” Again, Wallflower paused, the gears grinding in her frazzled brain. “W-wait, you think my party is cool?”

Again, Aria rolled her eyes. She didn't have time for this.

“Yeah, sure, why not? Will you tell me where Sunny is now?”

“Hm… last I saw, she was doing shots in the kitchen.”

“Sounds about right,” sighed Aria. She strode down the short hallway, following the sounds of music into the party proper. It wasn't a huge gathering, only twenty or so people dancing and drinking. For Wallflower, though, it might as well be Coachella, and Aria was impressed with her old friend for not having a panic attack. People can grow after all, it appeared. “Alright, thanks for the invite, Wally. Catch you later.”

“Oh, ok, no prob. Have fun, and good luck!” called Wallflower to Aria, as she disappeared into the small swarm of partygoers. “And text me sometime! Don't forget about me!”

“Yeah, yeah, I won't!”

Unfortunately, being a better friend to Wallflower would have to wait a bit longer. For now, Aria was focused on maneuvering through the crowd, in search for the difficult figure from her past. Luckily, by the time she arrived in the kitchen, it had almost entirely emptied out, save for the one person she was looking for. Sunset had her back to her, boosting up to her tiptoes to grab a hidden bottle of tequila from the top of Wallflower’s fridge. When she reached, her crimson tanktop rode up a bit, giving Aria a glimpse of the pink, six-pointed star she had tattooed just above her hip.

“The star’s new, right?” It felt strange, for Aria to get the jump on Sunset for a change, but Sunset held her ground a lot better in these situations; she froze for just a second, before regaining her composure and pouring herself another drink. “It's cute. Ink suits you.”

“Thanks. I've got more, but they're in places I don't think Adagio would want you to see.” There was an all-too-familiar slurring at the end of every word, but it seemed to Aria that Sunset still had most of her faculties about her. Slowly, Sunset turned to face her ex, brow cocked at Aria. “Okay, now there's no convincing me otherwise. You're definitely following me.”

“This time, yeah. I wanted to see you.”

“Come to finish me off? Don't forget, I took judo in high school.”

“I just wanna talk.” Aria waited a beat for Sunset to respond, and when she didn't, struggled to find the words. “And maybe, y'know. Apologize.”

“You could've texted me,” remarked Sunset. “Unless you deleted my number again.”

“I figured a face-to-face situation was the right way to go.” Sunset rolled her eyes at that, and slowly began to walk away with her drink (and the rest of Wallflower’s liquor) in tow. “Come on, man, I'm really trying here. I know things haven't exactly been smooth sailing between us, but don't walk away from me when all I want—”

“Listen, if you want to air all our dirty laundry in the middle of whatsherface’s kitchen, then I'm down too,” said Sunset. “But given our history, I just assumed you'd want some privacy.”

“Oh. What do you have in mind?”

“Follow me.”

Without any further explanation, Sunset led the way through the party, with Aria following closely behind. Sunset, ever-confident in her presence, parted the crowd with each step, all the way to the living room window, outside of which was a sturdy iron fire escape. At Sunset’s behest, the two climbed through the window and onto those metal stairs, and up the last few steps to the roof itself. Contrasting starkly with the party below, this rooftop was deserted, serene, private. The only structures on the roof itself were the building's exhaust system, a power transformer, and a few electrical boxes. Sunset crossed the roof, kicking up gravel as she came to a stop beside the transformer.

“You said you wanted to talk,” said Sunset, leaning against the big metal box. “So go on. Talk.”

“Okay, so, let's just get this out of the way really quickly,” said Aria. “What went down at the club was fucked up. I shouldn't have hit you, no matter how upset I was. There's no excuse for what I did, and I just wanted to say… Sorry.”

“Apology accepted,” said Sunset. Aria's face twisted somewhat, earning a bemused snort from Sunset. “What's with that face?”

“I mean… I was kinda expecting it to be more work than that.”

“I've been hit before, by girls who hit a lot harder than you. That wasn't really what made me mad, anyway.”

“Man, I suck at this…” mumbled Aria. A bit louder, she continued on. “Okay, so it wasn't the slap that set you off. What was it, then?”

“You're joking, right? You show up at a party I'm having fun at just to flex your new hot sl—” Sunset seemed to catch herself before she let the word slip. “Sorry. I really don't mean anything by it when I use that word, but… The point is, you throwing your happiness in my face like that… it hurts.”

“But why? I feel like you made it pretty obvious where we stood,” said Aria. “Besides, you seem like you're doing pretty well for yourself.”

“It's… complicated. You got a light?” Despite having mostly quit smoking, on Adagio’s request, Aria still tended to keep a lighter on hand, and she casually tossed it to Sunset. Her brows went up a bit when, instead of a cigarette, Sunset pulled a joint from her bra and lit up. “Wanna hit?”

“Nah, I think I'm good.”

“What, too goody-goody to partake in The Devil's Lettuce now?” snickered Sunset. She took a pull on her joint, offering it to Aria with a wave and a song. “Drink the wine, my darling, you said.”

“Cute. Fine, whatever.” Of course, Aria recognized the song, and of course, it hit her deep in the heart, in places she'd never been hit before. Even still, she took the joint from Sunset and hit it quickly before passing it back. Sunset grinned before sliding down to the floor, where Aria soon met her. “So… you said it's complicated?”

“Duh. What about an ex is ever simple?” sighed Sunset. “If only it was as easy as us hating each other, then this would've blown over by now.”

“Seemed like you hated me plenty, going by our break-up,” noted Aria. Sunset shrugged, puffing her blunt idly as she collected her thoughts. “I still think about that night. I didn't think I'd ever come back from that.”

“Yeah, me neither.”

“You broke up with me, remember?”

“And what, that means it was easy for me? Breaking up with you was the toughest thing I've ever done in my life, Aria.” Sunset brought her knees up to her chest, her eyes darting away from Aria's as she spoke. Almost as if she couldn't bring herself to look at her. “I still wish we could've done things differently.”

“Wait, what? What do you mean?” Aria's heart skipped a beat, but she tried her best to keep her head on straight. “Do you… regret it?”

“We were both idiots. Just two dumb kids trying to make it through life together. I think us splitting up was the best move for us both, at the end of the day, but still,” sighed Sunset. “You were my best friend for the longest time. And the fact that when we broke up, you didn't once reach out to me… it kinda stung.”

“Well, you did sorta fingerfuck me in front of my parents and completely destroy my self-esteem, so that might've had something to do with it.”

“And there's my point. We both made bad decisions based on what we thought real life was at the time. Do you know why I flipped out on you that night?” It took a second, and a swig of liquor, for Sunset to compose herself, but she kept on going, despite the awkward tension of the moment. “It's because I'm bad at relationships. I always have been. I ran away from home, because I didn't like living with my parents. I poisoned pretty much every friendship I've had, because I just do stuff sometimes. I fucked things up with Twilight, and she left me for it. And I ran from you because, at the time, I thought you were trying to make me into something I wasn't.”

“I wasn't trying to make you anything.” Aria frowned, confused, but didn't address what was bothering her yet. Truth be told, she was very surprised to hear that it was Twilight who had left Sunset, rather the other way around. The idea of anyone dumping someone like Sunset, it just didn't fit into Aria's head, and that wasn't even addressing the idea that she had been trying to change Sunset. “I wasn't trying to ‘fix’ you or anything like that. I just wanted—”

“What you wanted, I wasn't able to give you at the time. And I should've just said that, but I didn't. Instead, I just wanted to hurt you, because I felt like you were hurting me. Once I cooled down, I wanted to reach out to you, maybe at least be friends, but I was too proud and stubborn.” With her joint mostly smoked and her cup empty save for a few chips of ice, Sunset resorted to taking a swig straight from the bottle—Daddy’s Cup, Aria remembered she would call it—to gain the necessary confidence. It made her a bit clumsy and unsteady in her speech, but it knocked the words free when it was clear that all she wanted was to hold onto them. “I wanted… No. I needed you to take the first step, because it'd be easier for me. And when you didn't, I guess I got a little bitter about it. Didn't help when I saw you moved on so easily. When I saw you and Ada in the club, and you basically fucked her in the bathroom just to piss me off… Well, mission accomplished, because it pissed me off.”

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, Adagio was pissed about it too,” admitted Aria. “So you two have that much in common, you both know I'm a moron.” Sunset chuckled at that, but then let the silence descend onto them. After a moment, Aria took the reins of the conversation once more. “Lemme just ask you this, Sunny. I asked it when we broke up, but, like you said, we were both pretty heated at the time. So lemme ask now… Did you ever cheat on me? Or was I just being paranoid?”

Sunset took in a deep pull from her smoldering joint, flicking the roach aside to let it burn out on the gravel. The seconds ticked on to a minute, and Sunset finally let out her smoke to answer.

“I'd go to Twilight's place whenever we fought, and we got pretty close. Sometimes, I'd smoke a bowl at her place, and you know I get kinda horny when I'm high,” said Sunset. She avoided Aria's gaze, but even from the side Aria could see what appeared to be remorse, shame. Drunken embarrassment ringing her cheeks. “We made out a few times, maybe I touched a boob. But… No. I never fucked her. Even back then, even as mad as I was, I knew I wanted to at least break things off with you first. If anything. You deserved that much at least.” It went quiet again, and Sunset sighed wistfully. “Does that change anything for you?”

“Guess not. Just kinda nice to know definitively, you know?” Aria paused, feeling a strange sense of calm descend into her. This was the Sunset she knew, the girl she loved all those years ago. Strong, bold, unabashedly herself. “And just for the record, I didn't move on easily. It was really hard for me. Matter of fact… some people say I haven't moved on at all.”

“Yeah, well, you made that pretty obvious. No offense, Ari, but you have the worst poker face I've ever seen,” snickered Sunset. After the two shared a laugh, Sunset lowered her head slightly to lean against Aria's shoulder. “That's honestly one of the things I liked most about you. You're so honest. So true to yourself, you can't hide it no matter how hard you try.”

“Do you think… Do you think we could maybe try this again?” asked Aria slowly. Sunset tensed slightly, but didn't respond, so Aria continued. “You said you wanted to at least try to be friends. I'd like that, a lot. I missed you, Sunset.”

“I missed you too. But with you and Adagio…”

“She'll understand. Just let me talk to her, she'll get it.” The tension from Sunset didn't waver, and Aria was beginning to worry she may have made a mistake. She hadn't exactly planned out the conversation, and it would be terribly in character for her to let her emotions steer her off of a cliff. “Are you okay? If I'm going too fast, then maybe not?”

“It's… It's nothing. You're right,” said Sunset after a second of thought. “Being friends, that sounds good. Really good, actually.”

Finally, Sunset smiled, and Aria let out the breath that she'd been holding in. For a moment of serenity, the two just sat there, enjoying the calm and the quiet. No fighting, no messy past, no conflict. Though this wasn't what Aria had intended for the night, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't satisfied with the outcome. The two enjoyed their moment together before a buzz from Sunset’s pocket stole the moment. She checked her phone and groaned, much to Aria's concern.

“You good?” she asked.

“Son of a bitch!” groaned Sunset. “My fucking ride just flaked on me. Getting a cab this late is gonna be so fucking lame…”

“Hey, don't sweat it. I'll ask Wally to borrow her car, I can drop you off.” Aria nudged Sunset up, pulling her from her frustrated little tantrum. “I'd probably want to drop you off anyway, since you've been drinking and all.”

“That's really sweet of you, Aria. Thanks.” On shaky, unsteady legs, Sunset stood up, and very nearly came tumbling down if not for Aria leaping up to catch her and hold her upright. “Shit, maybe that's my cue to bounce. Unless you wanted to hang around a little longer? I don't mind crashing in, like, a closet or something until you're ready.”

“Nah, I got what I came for. Let's split.”

It was a bit perilous, guiding a drunk Sunset safely down the fire escape, but Aria managed to do so with only a few heart-stopping incidents. Luckily, the trip down was a swift one, and Aria got Sunset back into the apartment with relative ease. The booze and weed seemed to be catching up to Sunset, and each step through the living room was more precarious than the last. By the time they made it back to the front door, Sunset was leaning most of her body weight onto Aria, who tried to keep the two on course. Luckily, Wallflower wasn't far from the door, her hands filled with pizza she had just had delivered.

“Yo, Wally, lemme borrow your car,” said Aria, doing her best not to be annoyed by Wallflower’s wide-eyed and aghast expression. “I need to get Sunny home, I'll be right back.”

“Um… You sure that's a good idea?” asked Wallflower. “I could call her a—”

“Relax, it's not what it looks like. I'm just being a good friend. Gimme your keys.”

“Well, if you're sure… Here, my hands are full, they're in my back pocket.”

Aria reached forward and pulled the keys from Wallflower’s pocket, and, with a promise to top off the fuel tank when she was done, made her way to the elevator. A quick trip down, and a few minutes to locate Wallflower’s car, and the two were off. It was a quiet ride, for the most part, and Aria sought to break the tension with some music; After flipping through the stations, she landed on her go-to destination for rock and roll. Almost too good to be true, she flipped to the station just in time to begin Halestorm’s Familiar Taste of Poison.

The two shared a look and rolled their eyes at the ludicrous coincidence, but they let the song play out nevertheless.

“Yeah, it's right here,” mumbled Sunset, pointing at the complex as the two pulled up. “3rd floor, Apartment 32A.”

“Alright, cool. Let's get you home,” said Aria.

Aria had to basically pull Sunset up and out of the car, once again letting the notably taller woman rest most of her weight on her shoulder as she led the way. Each step was tougher than the last, and Aria had to hurry to get Sunset in the elevator before she collapsed on top of her. The ride up was short, and the trek to the apartment, even shorter. Sunset had to fumble in her jeans for keys for a bit (even dropping her phone, which Aria grabbed up and slipped into her own pocket for safekeeping) but she managed to unlock the door nonetheless.

“Yeah, just toss me on the couch I guess,” slurred Sunset, pointing in the vague direction of the couch in the middle of her living room. Aria nodded and carefully maneuvered Sunset around the coffee table and to the sofa, where she gently set her down onto the cushions. “Thanks. You really didn't have to do all this for me…”

“Nah, it was nothing. Just making sure you got home safe,” said Aria. Sunset hummed in agreement as she swung her legs up onto her couch and reclined peacefully. “Well, it's been nice, but I better get Wally her car back. It's been nice, talking things out like that. Do you need anything before I go or…?”

“Just… I feel like I owe you. Not just for tonight, but for everything,” said Sunset. She sat up slightly, smirking at Aria as she did so. The energy in the room changed subtly, just enough to put Aria on edge. “Let me repay you for all the trouble.”

“You don't owe me anything. You don't have to—”

“I could maybe show you those tattoos I was talking about.”

It took a few moments for Aria to truly process what Sunset was getting at, and when she did, she let out a dry, tired little chuckle.

“You mean the ones that Adagio wouldn't want me to see?” asked Aria. Sunset nodded, and Aria just chuckled again. “That would be probably the biggest mistake of my life.”

“We've both made mistakes. What's one more gonna do, huh?” Sunset reached for Aria, who stood right where she was, arms crossed over her chest and brow cocked at the display. “C’mon, just one more time. For old time's sake.”

“You’re drunk,” noted Aria.

“Sure. And don’t forget, you smoked my weed. Maybe that's our excuse. Just one night, we're not in our right minds.” Sunset's voice was low and heavy, ladened with desire, almost desperation. Not at all what Aria had come to expect from her. “Come on, just once. I've been so lonely since Twi left me, and now you're back in my life…What Ada doesn't know won't hurt her.”

“Goodnight, Sunny. Just text me in the morning, okay?”

Aria made a few steps to the door, pausing when she felt a buzz in her pocket. A text, probably Wallflower panicking about the car, or maybe Sonata butting in to make sure Aria wasn't making any poor decisions. Ordinarily, she'd leave it be, but considering the situation, Aria thought it prudent to respond. She grabbed the phone from her pocket, perplexed by the unfamiliar device she held. In the commotion, she had forgotten that she had picked up Sunset's phone. She went to set it down, when her eye caught the name on the text. Aria didn't like to intrude, but the name was impossible to ignore.

Twi <3

Unable to contain herself, Aria powered on Sunset's phone and tried her old password; Unsurprisingly, it worked, and allowed Aria in to read the message. She looked it over once, twice, three times, feeling a mess of emotions wash over her. She was confused, she was betrayed, she was pissed off. And, when it was all said and done, Aria felt something new. An overwhelming sense of clarity.

It was complicated, she said before. Now, not so much.

“Sunset, I—” Aria turned, looking to Sunset for answers, and was met only with snores. Sunset had fallen asleep at some point, which suited Aria just fine. She set Sunset's phone down on the coffee table, shaking her head as she made her way out. “Later, I guess.”

As she left, Aria grabbed her phone, actually her phone this time, and quickly dialed Wallflower’s number. She originally had every intention of returning the car straight away but, given how she felt now, she had one more stop that she wanted to make.

Adagio twirled slowly, gracefully around her pole, the pop-rock sounds of Lissie’s Shameless floating through her apartment as she rehearsed her next set, dressed comfily in her pajamas. She knew the song well, knew every step and bounce and spin like the back of her hand. It wasn't so much a need for practice that motivated this, more so the desire for inner peace, stillness of heart, and most importantly, clarity. She phoned in for a replacement dancer for the night's marquee, she had canceled her plans for tomorrow, and now all she wanted to do was relax, and to feel herself in the only way she knew how.

There was a knock at the door, and Adagio decided she'd ignore it. She didn't give much thought as to who would be there at this hour, though as the knocking continued, an idea began to gnaw in the back of her mind. Finally, as the song petered out into silence, Adagio descended from her stage and slowly strolled to the door. She paused, hand on the doorknob, and took in a deep breath before pulling it open.

“Hey.” Adagio knew that it was likely Aria standing on the other side of her door, and yet she was still somewhat surprised to see her standing there. It was awkward, at least at first, but Adagio noticed that something was different about Aria, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. “Can we talk now?”

“You can talk, if you like,” said Adagio. “I think I'll just listen for now.”

“Okay, fair. Well, let me just start out by saying that I'm sorry for what I did last week, at the club. It was stupid of me, it was unfair to put you in that position, and I'm so sorry I made you feel like I was using you.” Aria spoke with a steady assuredness in her voice that she didn't typically possess, and it deeply intrigued a somewhat skeptical Adagio. “I betrayed your trust and your love, just to prove a bogus point. You deserve better than that.”

“You're right,” said Adagio slowly. “I do. But we established that the last time we spoke. What changed since then?”

“I grew a pair and I went to talk to Sunset. Clear the air, settle some differences, and maybe work out the mess between us.”

“And?”

“We talked. We got to the root of our break-up, figured out what went wrong. We apologized to each other, kinda,” explained Aria. “We decided we'd try being friends. She had a lot to drink, so I took her home. Just to make sure she got there safely. And… She came onto me. She said what you didn't know wouldn't hurt you.” Adagio snorted at that.

“Right. Friends,” said Adagio, with a roll of the eyes. “And I assume if you're telling me about it, it's because you told her no.”

“Listen, I might be dumb, but I'm not fucking stupid.” Aria brightened a bit at the way Adagio snickered. “Point is, when I was leaving, I saw a text on Sunset's phone. A text from Twilight.”

“Her ex?”

“See, that's the thing. Sunset told me tonight that Twilight left her, but the text? If Twilight dumped Sunset, then somebody better tell Twilight that, because she doesn't seem to know. Their conversation, it was the usual check-in stuff. Kissy faces and everything. How much Twi misses her, and can't wait for her to get back.”

“So Sunset was lying.”

“Yeah, sounds like I wasn't the last girl she played. And that's when it hit me. It hit me that if she lied about that, then who's to say what else she lied about? Was she lying about being sorry? About wanting to be friends? And if she is, then why would she do that?” said Aria. “I realized that she doesn't want me back. She just doesn't want anyone else to have me, and she doesn't want me to have anyone else. So I decided that, if that's the type of person she is, then I don't give a shit what she thinks anymore. I miss what we had, and how she made me feel, but that person isn't who she is anymore. If she ever was.”

“I see. Sounds like it was quite an enlightening conversation you had.” Adagio crossed her arms over her ample chest, arching her brow at the transformed woman before her. “And what? You think just because you hashed things out with her that this makes up for that stunt you pulled?”

“No. No, of course not. But Sunset has been this… thing, standing over me. Poisoning me. Poisoning us. Now? Now, I say in no uncertain terms, fuck her. Talking to Sunset, and getting her claws out of me, it's the hardest thing I've ever done, and I'm doing it to be the best me I can be, for you. I love you, Ada. I'm not letting this messy bitch fuck this up for me.”

Adagio didn't speak for a while, keeping her thoughts to herself for the time being. She looked Aria up one way and down the other, appraising her with just her gaze. She kept her thoughts to herself as she watched Aria's unwavering expression. Never one to give too much away for free, it was quiet for nearly a full minute before she spoke.

“What you did at the club,” said Adagio carefully. “That really hurt my feelings. Not an easy thing to do.”

“I know, and I'm sorry. I'd never do anything to intentionally hurt you.”

“I know, sugar. Truth be told, I didn't exactly enjoy this time apart. I don't like being upset with you. But… I'm proud of you for facing your demons and putting them to rest.” Just when Aria began to smile, Adagio narrowed her gaze. “But if you think that's enough to get you out of the doghouse, you've got another thing coming.”

“Whatever I have to do to make things right, I'll do it.”

“Good. Because if you want to fix things between us, then you're going to have to do more than apologize. You're going to have to cook me dinner, too.” Despite herself, a grin broke out on Adagio’s face, that grin growing as Aria nodded eagerly. “Hm… I think I have a craving for tacos. With that delicious salsa you make.”

Aria blinked, tilting her head at Adagio. A few beats passed and, with a slowly growing realization, Aria found herself smiling, perhaps a bit nervously. She wasn’t sure exactly what she was expecting from Adagio. More shouts? The cold shoulder? A break-up speech? All felt like very real possibilities, but that’s not what she received at all. Quite the contrary, it was understanding. Patience. Humor. Love.

“I… That salsa, I told you.” Aria scratched her neck sheepishly. “It's, uh, store-bought.”

“Then I suggest you take your cute little ass to the store and buy some.” Finally, Adagio offered her arm and, like a starving man lunging for food, Aria took it in her own. “Come on, sugar, let's go shopping. And maybe then you can explain to me why you smell like pot.”

“Oh, that… Sunset—”

“You know what, put a pin in that, something just dawned on me. That Twilight girl, you wouldn't happen to know her number, would you?”

“Uh… No, but I think I can find her on Facebook,” said Aria nervously. “Why?”

“Hm. Just a bit unfortunate, you know? She’s innocent here,” said Adagio, baring her fangs and flashing a devilish grin. “I just think she deserves to know just what her girlfriend has been up to, don’t you think?”

“Just for clarity, sugar, Sonata was absolutely correct.”

Aria rolled her eyes, but didn't argue as she approached the couch. Hands full with hot chocolate, she needed a bit of assistance from Adagio, who grabbed one mug and guided Aria to a seated position without spilling any. Across from the couch was Sonata, chuckling at the pair from her loveseat. Though she admitted she may have been a little hard on Aria regarding her argument with Adagio, it came from a loving place. And now, with tensions tempered and the lovely couple having mended fences, things were back to normal. That meant she could get away with teasing Aria a bit about the whole ordeal.

“See?! I told you!” said Sonata. “I told you the party was a bad idea!”

“Hey, it worked out, didn't it?” said Aria. Adagio hummed, sipping her drink beside her girlfriend.

“Hm… Yes, I suppose it did work,” agreed Adagio. Aria perked up a bit, just for Adagio to send her tumbling with a little smirk. “It was still incredibly stupid to chase down your ex at a party while you're arguing with your girlfriend. That could have blown up in your face.”

“But it didn't.” Aria felt compelled to remind the court of this fact, despite her agreement with the assertion that the plan was flawed. She was just lacking alternatives at that point in time. “I took a risk, but I, like, grew and stuff. That's what matters.”

“Hm… Well, all's well that ends well, right?” said Sonata. “I'm glad to see you two back together. I missed you over here, Ada. This place has felt so empty without you.”

“We were only fighting for, like, a week…”

“I missed you too, Sonata. Thanks for trying to keep Aria in trouble, even if she's too stubborn to listen,” said Adagio. She and Sonata shared a snicker at Aria's expense, though the dancer did quickly amend herself. “I'm only teasing, sugar. I swear, I've nearly got it out of my system.”

“Well, can't say I don't deserve a little teasing,” admitted Aria. “You know what just kinda hit me? Twilight, she didn’t really deserve any of this. Feel bad for her.”

“I spoke to her after you tracked her down.” Adagio nodded her agreement. “She seems like a sweetheart. I gave her my number, and I’ll be putting together a little gift basket for her this weekend, if you’d like to help.”

“Sounds good. Well, look at that. Maybe we’ll end up with a friend at the end of this whole thing, after all.” Aria smiled, and cuddled a little closer to Adagio. Despite what she said to Sonata, she certainly agreed with her assessment; It was very nice to have the whole gang together again, even after a relatively brief hiatus. “Man, I’m getting kinda hungry. You guys down for some takeout? I’ve been craving Thai, and there’s a good spot just up the—”

Aria stopped, the ringing of her phone distracting her from the point she was trying to make. She had a sneaking suspicion she knew who was calling her, and a quick glance confirmed her fears. Sunny <3. It was inevitable, and yet, now that the moment was here, Aria wasn’t sure what to make of it. The call was sure to be intense, a very angry Sunset coming for blood. Maybe, if she endured enough shouting and abuse, she could calm the situation, and the two could someday be friends, after all.

“You need to take that?” asked Adagio. Aria smirked, swiping down on her phone’s screen. She shuffled over to her contacts, down the list, and to that name. Sunny <3.

Delete Contact.

“Nah. It was nobody.”