The Mistakes We Make in the Dark.by sirenscallChaptersA true, true, friend.Building bridges.Enemies with benefits.A true, true, friend.Sunset held her head in her hands. The events of Saturday night had left her sore and spent; despite it now being Monday, the marks Adagio had left on her skin were still prevalent, no matter how much concealer she tried to apply to the bruised skin. She didn’t want to risk the girls— or anyone else for that matter— finding out about her little sleepover, and so, she did what any other rational person would’ve done. “Sunset, darling? Why on earth are you wearing a turtleneck in 90° weather?” Rarity piqued a brow as she approached the lunch table, tray in hand. “Yeah, Sugar Cube,” Applejack blinked. “Don’cha know it’s almost June?” The fashionista took a seat across from the red-head, who avoided eye contact with the pair, before settling her elbows on the table to rest her chin on her intertwined fingers. “I must admit, though. The new look suits you.” “Ah. Uh, thanks.” Sunset laughed meekly, “I was…. just trying out something new. I think I’ll just stick to my leather jacket, though. I’m literally melting.” “Who’s ice cream’s melting?!” Pinkie Pie bounced over, Twilight not far behind. Rarity dismissed her with a wave. “No, no, dear. Sunset Shimmer is trying out a new look and is realizing how entirely impractical a turtle neck is in summer.” She gave Sunset’s shoulder a reassuring pat, “Don’t worry darling, we’ve all made that mistake.” Applejack narrowed her eyes a bit. “Uh… have we?” “A-anyway,” Sunset sputtered, eager to change the subject, “how’s everyone’s classes today? Mr. Crankydoodle sprung a pop quiz on us in history. I’m pretty sure I failed it.” Twilight gave the taller girl a teasing smirk as she took the seat beside her. “It isn’t really springing something when he let us know on Friday we had a quiz coming up. I spent the whole weekend studying just in case.” She smiled, “what did you girls get up to?” Shit. “Oh! Applejack and I went to that new popup boutique at the mall. They have an entire section dedicated solely to body butter and moisturizers. Honestly, darlings, I couldn’t decide which one to buy.” “No kiddin’,” The farm girl tipped her hat, “She ended up buyin’ five.” “Ugh!” Rarity guffawed in exasperation, “don’t pretend that two of those weren’t for you. You should have seen her, practically drooling over the chocolate-scented body scrubs.” Applejack blushed and tapped her forefingers together, guilty. “What, er- what about you, Fluttershy? You’ve been awful quiet.” The pink-haired girl flinched with a start, eyes finally focusing on the rest of the group. “Oh! Sorry,” she spoke timidly, curling a lock of hair behind her ear, smoothing it into the rest. “I’ve been a little distracted lately.” “Is everything alright?” Sunset arched a brow, genuinely curious, and not just because she was grateful no one was prying into her own personal life. “Mhm,” the other girl nodded with a small smile. “Just busy with work. The animal shelter’s having a fundraiser soon. They want to buy new veterinary equipment, I’ve been trying my best to think of ways to help.” “That’s so exciting!” Pinkie Pie lurched forward, gripping Fluttershy’s hands with vigor, much to the other teen's dismay. “I’d totally be down to help if you or the shelter need it!” Fluttershy smiled. “Thank you. It would really mean a lot. We need all the help we can get at the moment,” she slipped her hands-free once Pinkie had relented enough, to pull a sheet of paper from her backpack. “I’ll be handing out fliers for it soon. We’re just finalizing designs.” Rarity took the flier and inspected it closely, Applejack leaning in at her side. She then passed it around the table for everyone to see. “Well that’s wonderful, Fluttershy,” she smiled. “Put my name down for volunteering as well.” Applejack nodded, “Me too.” The rest of the table then turned their attention to Sunset, who did her best not to shrink under their eyes. “U-uh,” she offered a shaky thumbs up, “me, too! Obviously. It’s not like I have anything else I’d rather be doing.” As the rest of the group fell back into their usual chatter: chores, annoying customers at work, and tests, Sunset resigned to fork at her lunch, unable to stomach anything else. “Rarity was right.” “Hm?” She glanced up to look at Twilight, who offered her a gentle smile. “The turtleneck— it looks nice on you.” “Oh–” Sunset’s cheeks felt warm as she rubbed at the back of her neck, “it’s not new or anything. I just don’t really wear it that often. You uh… you really like it?” The bookworm nodded and plucked an apple slice from the red-heads lunch tray. “You should wear it more often.” “Yeah?” She stole a grape from Twilight’s tray and popped it into her mouth. “I think I might.” “So you took my advice?” Rainbow Dash quirked a brow as Sunset tried her best to keep pace with her; running and talking were never her strongest subjects. The red-head panted and nodded sheepishly. “I can’t believe you lost your virginity at the weekend and didn’t call me immediately. It’s true what they say, you’re a real firecracker, Sunset Shimmer.” Sunset growled with a frown. “No one says that,” a pause, “and can you please keep your voice down? I don’t need everyone gossiping about me.” Dash raised her hands defensively. “I won’t tell a soul.” She remained quiet for a second, before turning around to face the other teen as she ran backward. “So, tell me, who’d you bang?” The former equestrian’s voice caught in her throat as she let out a strangled yelp, tripping over her own feet and crashing into the red AstroTurf of CHS’ running track. Rainbow Dash stopped and jogged back over to where the girl lay in a mess of limbs. “Sorry. Did I catch you off guard?” “Ugh—” Sunset frowned and pulled herself back onto her feet with the other girl’s help. She dusted herself off and winced down at her grazed knees, waving a hand toward the teacher, before giving a thumbs up and hobbling off to the side to sit at the edge of the grass. The rainbow-haired girl offered Sunset a bottle of water, to which she accepted and poured over her injury with a quiet gasp of pain. “Least now you can say you got those bruises on your neck from track, I guess.” “Dash?” “Yeah?” “Shut up.” The other girl rolled her eyes with a huff. “I’m sorry! I’m just curious. The most eventful thing that's happened recently was when Twilight singed her eyebrows off in chemistry class.” “That was months ago?” “Exactly, Shimmer! I need drama.” She was indignant, “Or literally anything to distract from the fact finals are coming up soon.” “I think you’ve been spending too much time with Rarity,” she mumbled, raising the bottle of water to her lips and taking a swig. Honestly, the idea of finals and graduation had slipped her mind as of late. Not that she would ever openly admit that, given how the other girls would no doubt grill her for it, asking how that could even be a possibility. Her mind had just been elsewhere; dancing between anxiety and euphoria. With a breath of relief, Sunset held the bottle between her thighs, grateful for the condensation that chilled her skin as she reached up to untie and then re-tie her ponytail, high on her head. “I’m not telling you who it was with. That’s private. It doesn’t matter to you anyway.” “Do I know them at least?” Sunset paused and debated whether to play this little game of hot and cold. “Sort of.” Rainbow Dash perked up and drummed her palms against the tops of her thighs in excitement. “Girl or guy?” Another pause and Sunset lifted the bottle to her lips, hesitating, before taking another tentative sip. “Girl.” “A gir—!? Oh my god. What was it like?” The redhead narrowed her eyes, searching for any hint of mischief in Rainbow Dash’s curious expression. When she found none, she furrowed her brows upward before looking down at her hand. She ran her thumb over her palm and, with a light blush, she shrugged. “I dunno. Like— I mean— it was nice, I guess?” “Nice? Sunset, oh my god—” She squirmed under the other girl’s stare. “What? I don’t know what you want me to say.” “Did you top?” “I—” she let out a huff, “no, I didn’t.” Rainbow Dash beamed, clearly wildly amused by all of this. “This is amazing.” “And how’s that?” “Well, because,” Dash spread her arms out wide, “think about it. It’s kinda hilarious.” “Elaborate?” Sunset narrowed her eyes, suddenly irritated. “You used to be, like, the queen bee. Now you’re sat with me, on the bleachers in P.E, talking about how some chick topped you.” Sunset slugged her in the shoulder, face flushed red. “I said keep your voice down, bonehead!” “Ouch!” Dash whined, rubbing at her arm with a frown. “Alright, alright, jeez. Calm down. I’ll be quiet.” The red-head twirled the strand of hair at the side of her head before pushing her bangs from her face with a sigh. “I’m just—… I don’t want anyone to know. You can’t even tell the girls about this. Is that clear?” “Not even Fluttersh—” “Especially Fluttershy! Are you an idiot? No, wait, don’t answer that.” “Wh—?” Dash glowered, “I’m not stupid! It’s just that Fluttershy and I tell each other everything. I just wanted to double-check.” “Well, I’m making myself clear. Don’t speak about this to anyone. You’re the only one I can talk to about this without blowing it out of proportion. I’m trusting you, Dash. Don’t make me regret it.” “Okay, okay,” she raised her hands once more, defensively, “I get it. Jeeze.” They watched from afar as the rest of the class hunched over on the other side of the field, huffing and blowing hot air. May was coming to a close and June was soon to be in full bloom, the blue, cloudless sky above only made its arrival more evident. Sunset raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun. “We missed you at lunch today.” Rainbow Dash lay back against the grass, crossing her arms behind her head and closing her eyes. “I’ve got a secret too, Shimmer.” Sunset quirked a brow, watching her curiously and waiting for her to elaborate. Rainbow Dash peeked an eye open to make sure her audience was captivated. “Extra credit.” “Don’t you already have all the extra credit you need? You’re in, like, every sports team ever.” “Yeah, but if I want to actually graduate I need to make up marks in a couple of my other classes.” She sat forward again, “I pretty much have a full ride to any sports college I want. But I want to actually be proud of my grades, too.” Dash pulled out some of the grass at her side and toyed with it, before tossing it against the wind. “Don’t tell anyone though. I don’t want them to think I actually, like. Care.” “Oh, of course not,” Sunset rolled her eyes, offering the bottle of water as a peace offering. “Wouldn’t want people to know you’re actually an egghead.” “Obviously.” “Obviously,” Sunset repeated. The breeze carried over distant instructions from the far end of the field, where the rest of the class continued doing stretches and partnered drills. Sunset watched in quiet appreciation, grateful for the beat of silent bliss. She sat on her hands. Pinching her lips into a line, she glanced at the other girl, who tipped her head back and swallowed down a mouthful of water. “...Do you think it’s weird?” “Huh?” Rainbow Dash arched a brow. “Is what weird?” Sunset shrugged and stared down at her feet. Her lace was coming undone. “I don’t know. That I slept with someone, I guess? That it was my first time?” She hesitated, “That it was a girl?” Her teeth nibbled at the inside of her lip anxiously, her forehead wrinkling just the same. Rainbow Dash didn't answer immediately, instead watching the group of students stumble over themselves and help each other back up. “Nah. I mean, I know I was teasing you and asking you a hundred questions, but I don’t really think it’s that big of a deal.” She gave the red-head a nudge with her shoulder, “get out of your head, Shim.” Sunset smiled and nudged her back, curling a strand of hair away and out of her face. “Sorry,” she chuckled, “you know me.” “Yeah. And you know me– and the girls. I get that you want to keep things private, and I’ll never push you to talk about things that you don’t want to. But I know none of them would judge you for it. I mean,” Rainbow Dash snorted, “if they can get over what happened at the fall formal, I’m sure they won't care that you’ve got some girl in your bed.” She flushed, giving Rainbow Dash another playful punch in the arm. “Thanks, Dash.” “No problem, casanova.” She smirked. Sunset buried her face in her hands with an exasperated groan. Rainbow Dash held an arm across her stomach, trying to contain her laughter. Author's Note Thank you so much for all of the comments and views on the previous chapter, I really appreciate knowing what people do and don't enjoy from reading whatever I write. Looking forward to hearing what you all think of the rest of this story. Building bridges.“Rainbow Dash…” Adagio tapped at her chin, “she’s the dull one, right?” “I—” Sunset pursed her lips, “no. I mean, yes, but— that’s besides the point.” “There was a point?” The siren quirked an amused brow at Sunset’s endless pacing and flicking through sheets of music. “Well, I mean, not really. I just thought you should know that she kinda knows about… you know.” “Us fucking?” Sunset pursed her lips and glared over her shoulder as she pulled a sheet of paper from her music folder. “Do you have to be so to-the-point?” Adagio hummed and tilted her head, plucking the paper from the other girl’s hands with an amused grin. “Yes. I legally can’t dance around issues.” Sunset narrowed her eyes. “That seems inconvenient.” Adagio shrugged, “I like to deal with things fast. I don’t have patience for children.” The red-head blew out a breath of air and teetered on her heels. “So… should we get started?” Adagio nodded and raised the paper to scan over the notes. Sunset gave her a bit to take it in, but when Adagio’s mouth drew into a line she knew something was wrong. “Everything okay?” “Yes. I’m fine.” “Then why the nervous look?” Adagio shot her a glare. “I’m not nervous. I’ve just tried to read music before and it didn’t help. Singing always came naturally to me and now it doesn’t. Trying to read notes on a page is just… an unnecessary technicality.” “Ah…” Sunset scratched at her cheek, shifting her weight onto one leg, “I see.” She looked about the apartment from where she stood, blowing air into one cheek and letting it out in small bursts. She hummed. Furrowing her brows and racking her brain, a smile soon lit up her features as she turned, pacing over to the large metal cabinet at the foot of her stairs to dig through it. It only took a moment, but she pulled a keyboard into her arms and turned to set it down atop the back of the couch, Adagio adjusting herself on the arm to face the red-head as she beamed. “Will this work? Or have you tried harmonizing before?” Adagio clicked her tongue. “I’ve tried before,” she pushed the hair from her face, “but if I’m being honest it was just disheartening. I didn’t want the girls to hear me either, and I just ended up frustrated.” Sunset nodded and flipped the keyboard on, taking a moment before tapping a few keys to make sure the battery was still good. She looked to Adagio with a smile, “We can start with an easy pentatonic scale. Just try and match the note, okay?” “I’m not a child, Sunset. You don’t need to be gentle with me.” “I—” she frowned, “I’m not. I’m just being friendly. I don’t want you to feel pressured to get it right the first time.” “So we’re friends now? Is that right?” Adagio piqued a brow and leaned against the back of the couch, folding one leg over the other. “That’s sweet.” Sunset rolled her eyes with a frown. “I get you’re not into the whole friendship thing, but I just don’t want there to be any tension between us.” She paused, trying to sound as gentle as possible, “Honestly… what you said on Saturday really stuck with me.” “Oh? What part? The part where I said you wanted your little princess friend to fuck you, or the part where I—” “Adagio!” the red-head snapped. The other girl raised her brows and held up her hands, surrendering. Sunset shook her head, steadying her voice. “I meant the part where you said it was my fault that you couldn’t sing anymore. You’re right. It is my fault, and I want to make that up to you. Not just because you—” she blushed and averted her eyes a bit, “because we’re sleeping together. But because it’s the right thing to do.” “Well aren’t you just so noble.” Adagio rolled her eyes, fighting off the urge to gag. Sunset grumbled, “Do you want to do this or not?” The siren sighed and waved a hand to signal for the younger girl to begin with the keyboard. She hesitated, swallowing nervously before opening her mouth to sing. Off-key would’ve been a compliment. Adagio physically winced at the sound of her own voice, even more so as Sunset shifted onto the next note in the sequence, and so on. She fidgeted with her fingers and kept her eyes low as Sunset played about with the keyboard settings. “Alright. I’ll be honest, that was really bad.” Adagio scoffed, “You don’t hold back.” Sunset smiled, “It’s not really my style.” With a shrug, she started playing out another scale in a lower octave. “Try this. You’re saying singing came naturally to you, so maybe you can’t sing anymore because you just don’t know how to.” Adagio raised a brow. “Very attentive. Have you ever thought of becoming a detective?” Sunset rolled her eyes at the other girl’s incessant sarcasm. “No– what I mean is–” she grasped for the words with open hands, “It was natural. Singing was as natural to you as magic is for Unicorns. Sure, we learn different spells, but fundamentally it’s all the same. It’s like breathing.” Adagio nodded slowly, narrowed eyes indicating that she was following along. “But now, without your magic, it’s like you have to learn to breathe. You have to break it down to the fundamentals.We can work on breathing techniques and finding your voice type first, then worry about singing in key. Sound good?” Adagio let out a deep, huffed sigh and finally let her shoulders drop as she relaxed. “Alright. I suppose I can trust you. It’s not like I have much of a choice.” Sunset shot her a wink. “You’re in good hands.” “I’ve just never had a real relationship before,” Sunset shrugged as she plucked more noodles from her take-out box between pinched chopsticks, “I didn’t really see what was so important. I just… used people to get what I wanted. It was as simple as that.” Adagio swallowed down her own food with a nod before prodding at her plate with a fork. “You don’t need to explain yourself to me, Sunset Shimmer. I know how electrifying it feels to take advantage of someone’s naïveté. You don’t need to play nice,” she gave her a grin and a quick wink, “I won’t tell anybody.” Sunset gave a chuckle and shoveled her food into her mouth, much to the dismay of Adagio, who watched as she slurped the noodles past her lips. “Charming.” They’d finished up Adagio’s vocal training for the day some time ago and had decided to order Chinese for dinner. The siren had turned the other girl’s offer down at first, but the ache of hunger in her stomach persuaded her to comply. Sunset had asked if she wanted to watch a movie to pass the time, but the older girl had to once again reject her. She reminded the former unicorn that she had no interest in becoming anything more than what they were currently... whatever that may have been; and so they merely sat on Sunset’s couch, telling tales of their lives, and teasing each other all the same. “I once… dated,” Adagio punctuated with air quotes, nausea evident on her face, “this one boy who thought himself to be the next big shot of the music industry. Couldn’t write a lyric to save his life, of course, and went on to live in his parent’s basement well into his thirties. Celestia knows what he’s up to now– if he’s even still alive.” She shrugged and ate some more of her noodles. Sunset paused and sat her chopsticks in her take-out container before sliding down from the arm to sit on the cushion beside Adagio, facing her front-on. “So you’re like… actually thousands of years old?” Adagio tutted and wagged her finger, “Now, now, Sunset. You should know it’s not polite to ask a lady her age.” She smiled and set her plate on the redhead's coffee table, turning towards her to indulge in her curiosity. “I’ll be honest, I’ve spent so much time in this world that I’d lost the patience to keep track. Aria, Sonata, and I must have roamed Equestria for well over a millennia before we began wreaking some real havok.” She inspected her nails, glanced up at the younger girl, and smirked as she seemed almost captivated by her. “But when we got here, I was in a teenage girl's body. I don’t know if maybe some of our magic from Equestria leaked over and kept us young, or stopped us aging like normal humans, but since you and your little friends destroyed our gems…” Adagio’s confidence faltered a bit before she let out a sigh, “Well, let’s just say I haven’t exactly enjoyed the back pain in the morning.” The red-head looked down at her hands and wrung them awkwardly. “Sorry…” “Don’t be. We all need to get older. To be honest, I’m… somewhat glad. It’s nice to feel mortal. It’s exciting,” she flashed her teeth in a grin. Sunset didn’t want to admit it but Adagio was… charming. She was charismatic, and even without her magic, she was absolutely enchanting. “Well,” the older girl spoke as she pushed herself up from the couch, “thank you for the food, but I should really be off.” Adagio collected her purse from beside the coffee table and slung the strap over her shoulder. Sunset watched her gather her things and pluck her jacket from the coat rack by the door before piping up. “When can I see you again?” Adagio fixed her with a look, eyeing her curiously for a moment before giving a smirk. “You’re really that wound up?” “That’s not—” she blushed, “that isn’t what I meant. I mean, when do you want to do this again?” “Oh.” The siren hesitated, looking down at her feet and toeing the rug with her boot. “Well, I’m free Friday afternoon, if that’s alright? And if things have been… stressful this week, well..” she gave a small, teasing grin as she tilted her head a bit, looking the other girl up and down. “You can decide what we do, after my lesson.” Sunset blinked before giving a nod, “Yeah. Yeah, sure. Sounds good. Do you want me to pick you up, or—” “That won’t be necessary,” the siren raised a hand. “Make no mistake, this little arrangement is of mutual convenience; nothing more. We needn’t get personal. The less you know about me, the better. For the both of us.” A part of her wanted to laugh at the statement. What had they just spent the last hour doing if not exactly that? Regardless, she restrained herself and gave a nod. “Yeah, right… sorry.” Adagio smiled and cracked the door open, “See you this weekend.” Shooting Sunset one last wink and blowing a kiss before stepping out the door, she left the apartment. Sunset let out a shaky breath. It wasn’t until she was left alone in her own silence that Sunset realized just how empty the sizeable apartment felt without someone else there, something she had never once noticed before the conclusive night of the fall formal. She turned to the coffee table, regarded Adagio’s plate, still half-filled with noodles, and moved to collect it. The kitchen was a dingy, narrow thing. Yellow bulbs buzzed overhead as she scraped what was left of Adagio’s dinner into the trash and soaked the brown-smeared plate in the sink. She then returned to her own food, bullying chow mein into a soy sauce-drenched corner of the takeout box. Since meeting Princess Twilight Sparkle, reluctant but succumbing to her teachings about friendship, Sunset had found every waking minute of her time consumed, since then, by laughter and antics. She smiled idly, reminiscing of a younger time, when it seemed the whole world would fall apart if she didn’t win some pageant crown. She was grateful for what she had now. What the princess had done for her. What precious, little time she had to herself. It should have been enough. She set her takeout down on the coffee table once more, abandoning it for sleep instead. Sunset climbed the stairs, trailing fingers over the fairy lights Rarity and the girls had helped wind around the handrail. The fashionista had insisted on livening up the place, only encouraged by Pinkie Pie, who declared that the group had to leave their mark on her home, so that she would never forget that she wasn’t alone anymore. That she had friends now. That she was loved. Sunset flopped onto her bed heavily, covering her eyes with her forearms as she lay flat on her back. Finals were coming up; she had to study. Author's Note Sorry for the delay between chapters! Job hunting has been a nightmare. Happy to say that I am back though and ready to carry on with this story- plenty of chapters still to come! Enemies with benefits.“Now this is something I’d never expected to see.” Adagio quirked a brow as she undid the last button on her blouse, before tossing it onto the bottom of Sunset’s bed. The other girl was sitting at the edge of the mattress, shifting awkwardly as her eyes drank in the moonlit figure of the woman in front of her. Honestly, how she’d found herself in this situation, Sunset couldn’t quite remember herself. ‘Hooking up’ wasn’t exactly her go-to pass time. It wasn’t that she was averse to it– she didn’t particularly care who was or wasn’t sleeping around with who; honestly, the topic of sex wasn’t something she ever found herself drawn to, either. However, recently she’d found her eyes lingering. On shapes. On curves. On the corners of mouths and—…. well. She just didn’t know why. Normally in times like these she would seek help and guidance from Princess Twilight through the journal, but… This time, she wasn’t quite sure asking the Princess was the best idea. Anxiety lingering in her gut, something told her that this was more than just mixed up feelings to do with the magic of friendship; and so, she decided to confide in a friend that might know what she was going through. Rainbow Dash was…. Probably not the best person either, though. Of course, she’d managed to nail down exactly what had been bothering her, but… the advice the athlete had given her wasn’t as helpful as Sunset had anticipated. The blue girl had informed her— as gently as she could, given the circumstances— that the feelings the red-haired teen had been experiencing was… Simply her hormones. “Stop joking around here Dash!” She’d responded with furrowed brows, swatting the other girl on the arm. But the absence of Rainbow’s usual charismatic sarcasm and ensuing laughter left Sunset with yet another deep pit in her stomach. She didn’t know what to do, who else to turn to, and the last thing she wanted to do was follow Rainbow Dash’s advice of “Just find someone to bone. It’s not weird or anything; I’m sure you’re not the only one our age that just wants to f—” Sunset promptly cut her off with a punch in the arm. She didn’t want to follow her advice. She really didn’t want to, but… She now found herself face to face with the very siren that she and her friends had stripped of her powers not even two years ago, now. The girl in question pulled a hair tie from her golden curls and slid it over her wrist for safekeeping, before wrapping her arms around Sunset’s neck and straddling her thighs. The red-haired teen swallowed down a thick knot. “So,” Adagio mumbled, dragging her teeth over the skin of Sunset’s neck with a heated huff of breath, “isn’t this a tad out of character, little-miss ‘redeemed hero’?” The younger girl tilted her head to the side slightly, allowing the siren better access to her throat as she exhaled through her nose. Pursing her lips, Sunset averted her eyes, focusing all of her attention on the far-end wall of her apartment. “I just-... oh, you know, I just-” “Just wanted to get your rocks off? Thought I’d be an easy fuck?” “No, I-” “Well, Sunset Shimmer, that’s very presumptuous of you.” Sunset frowned and shifted again awkwardly— as best she could with Adagio on top of her. “I’m sorry… It- it’s really shitty when you put it like that... We can stop, I-” “It was a joke, Shimmer. I don’t care. I’ve been alive longer than Equestria, if you think a little school girl wanting to fool around for a night just because of a stereotyped assumption is enough to hurt my feelings, then my, you’re much more naive than I initially thought.” The red-haired girl let out a strangled whine as Adagio blew against her ear, her face teeming in a heated blush as she drew her own lips into a firm line. “My, quite sensitive aren’t we?” Adagio chuckled before pressing a kiss to Sunset’s pulse. “But, you know Sunset: being promiscuous isn’t the only thing sirens are known for, right?” “Uh- what-” The older girl grinned against the flesh of her throat before running her tongue over Sunset’s skin. Adagio’s teeth brushed against the nape of Sunset’s neck before she bit down and sucked. “Mh-!” Sunset winced with a squeak. Only after the other girl began to turn her head toward her shoulder in pain did Adagio pull away to wipe at her bottom lip with her thumb, grinning as she admired her work. “That’s sure to let your little friends know just the kind of things you get up to in your free time.” Sunset frowned once more and furrowed her brows slightly, “That hurt.” “Oh, darling that is the least of your problems tonight.” “What is that supposed to-” Adagio cut her off promptly, shoving her backward against the mattress. In quick succession, she reached for the hemming of Sunset’s shirt, peeling it up and over the other girl's shoulders. There was a pause in Adagio’s movement as she stared down at the girl below her, a small smirk pulling at the corners of her lips. “Bunnies, Sunset? Really?” Sunset instinctively crossed her arms over her chest and tried to turn away from the other girl’s gaze, embarrassment keeping her face a deep, red hue. “That’s fine. You don’t need to look at me,” the smirk was practically dripping from the siren’s voice as she ran her hands along the other girl’s sides, to her shoulders, before forcing Sunset onto her front. The redhead let out a small grunt. “I am curious, though,” Adagio continued, tracing her fingers over Sunset’s skin, drinking in the way the other girl would squirm and squeak under her touch. “Why ask me of all people? Surely one of your little friends would’ve been more than willing to help you out, no?” Sunset turned her head to shoot an incredulous glare up at the girl above her. “I- what-” “Why don’t we just cut the bullshit and get right to the point, hm?” As if to punctuate her sentence, Adagio dug her nails into the skin of Sunset’s hips, forcing a pained cry from her throat, before Adagio shifted once again, propping Sunset up onto her knees. The red-haired girl tried pulling her arms free from their trapped position between her chest and the mattress and moved to sit up– before Adagio forced her face back into the sheets. Trained fingers deep in red tresses, Adagio pressed her hand firmly against the back of Sunset’s head. “You just stay there and do as you’re told, alright? You called me, remember? I’m in charge.” Teal eyes widened before Sunset gave a single, affirming nod. Adagio smiled and slipped her hand from Sunset’s hair, instead interlacing her fingers over the back of Sunset’s own, her other hand snaking down to slip beneath the waistband of the red-headed teen’s underwear. Sunset’s teeth dug into her lower lip as she felt two of Adagio’s fingers run along the length of her womanhood on either side, letting out a shuddered breath as she felt them finally push themselves inside. The siren’s pace was steady and slow at first, but it was only when she rested the palm of her hand against Sunset’s clit that Adagio received any kind of physical response. The red-haired teen jolted in place, her shoulders rising from the bed slightly as she tried to let out a deep breath; however, Adagio’s hand once again returned to its position on the back of the younger girl’s head. “A-ah- fuck-” Sunset hissed out between gritted teeth, back arching as her face was forced further into the mattress. Her fingers dragged along the dark sheets by her head before gathering the material in a bunch, her hands shaking– just like the rest of her body– at the other girl’s touch. “There’s a good girl. Stay in that position: on your hands and knees. It rather suits you, since all you seem to do is bow down to that little Princess of yours,” the siren smirked, extremely amused at the trembling mess of a girl before her. “Oh, I know,” She teased, bending forward to press her bare chest against the flush of Sunset’s back as she whispered, low, in her ear. “Why don’t we play a little role-playing game, hm? Why not close your eyes and pretend I’m that precious Twilight Sparkle you seem so invested in. That’s who you’d really want to be fucking you, right?” Sunset opened her mouth to retort, but her words caught in her throat, vocalizing only as a whimpered gasp before she bit down on her lip once more. A deep chuckle bubbled from Adagio’s chest as she curled the two fingers inside the girl below her. “It’s alright. I won’t be offended. Upset she’ll be getting all the credit of making you squirm, maybe, but if that’s what gets you off, then by all means.” Sunset let out a panted breath as she opened her mouth to object, but closed it once more to swallow thickly. Adagio had instructed her to cut the bullshit, which was enough indication to let her know that the siren had seen right through her. Fighting her on it would only embarrass herself further in the eyes of the other girl. She’d resolved to just do as she was told, but was stolen from her thoughts as another wave of pleasure drowned her senses in ecstasy, a guttural moan forcing itself from her chest before she inhaled with a whine. “Well? What’s it going to be?” “Tw… light-” she breathed. Adagio hummed and turned her head to whisper into Sunset’s ear once again, “I can’t hear you.” “Please-... Twilight-” The other girl’s name felt like a swear in her mouth as she bit her lip once more, and let another deep breath out through her nose, closing her eyes and furrowing her brows upward in shame. “There we go. Now we can really get into it,” Adagio almost purred as she kneaded her palm against Sunset’s clit. The red-haired girl moaned and gripped the sheets tighter, the mattress creaking below them as she arched her back in response to the white flash of heat that washed over her skin. Adagio slipped her hand beneath the wiring of Sunset’s bra to cup a breast in her hand, the other girl letting out a squeaked gasp as she closed her eyes tighter. There was no escape from the heated stimulation that was enveloping the former Equestrian completely, and wholly, especially as she felt the flesh of Adagio’s upper thigh pressing against her own, and the weight of the other girl’s hips digging into her back. But honestly…. She didn’t want to. She didn’t want this to stop. This entire experience was new, and, yes, laboring… but it was so good. She’d never felt this rush of sheer pleasure before in her life, and now it was crashing over her in waves. The mere brush of the other girl’s flesh against her own was enough to incite a reaction. Sunset gave the balled sheets in her hands a squeeze as she felt Adagio’s nails brush against the flesh of her chest, another shaky, heated breath escaping past her lips. “God, Twilight-” The mention of the other girl's name encouraged the hand to press against Sunset’s chest, moving in slow, clockwise circles— almost kneading as Adagio’s forefinger rested on the hardening peak of her breast, occasionally rubbing against it, forcing another whimper from the girl under her. The siren felt her cheeks warm in a blush of her own as Sunset began rocking against her palm in time with the thrusting of her fingers, forcing them deeper inside herself. “Good girl. Let all those little urges take over, it’s alright.” The former Equestrian whimpered as her body involuntarily spasmed, causing the mattress to creak under her weight, and she let out another breathy pant of the Princess’ name. When Adagio began to feel Sunset tighten around her fingers she let out a cluck of her tongue, “You’re so close. Don’t worry, soon all those horrible little thoughts will melt away. I’ll take them all from you.” All Sunset could do was nod and whimper, and she’d only realized how tightly she’d been clenching her eyes shut when she felt the wetness of tears gather around the bridge of her nose. Her back and neck arched as Adagio pressed her palm against her clit once more, the steady pace she’d been keeping up this whole time only now beginning to quicken in tandem. She tried her best to keep up, but with every pump of Adagio’s fingers, she found her body stiffening and contracting on itself, her breaths only coming out in quick pants against the sheets of her bed. Sunset’s body trembled as she reached her climax, and she did her best to suppress the loud squeak that escaped through her gritted teeth. The older girl peppered kisses along the skin of Sunset’s shoulder and continued pumping her fingers inside of the other girl before she felt her body fall limp beneath her, indicating that she’d finally ridden out the remainder of her orgasm. Sunset’s hips finally rested on the mattress as the siren removed her hand from her underwear and she glanced over her shoulder to finally look at the other girl properly, the blood in her veins almost running cold as Adagio lifted her wet slicked fingers to her mouth and sucking them clean. She didn’t know whether she was aroused or disgusted. Maybe both. Definitely both. “T-thank you-” she stuttered out, but the piercing red eyes that bore into her own forced her lips to draw into a crooked line. However, Adagio’s appearance seemed to soften as she blinked, removing the fingers from her mouth. She then proceeded to pick up the clothes that had fallen to the floor during their little endeavor. “You can uh- you can stay over if you want? I mean- I don’t really have an issue with-” “I’m stopping you there.” Adagio lifted a finger to silence her and quirked a brow. “Doing that would lead to sentimentality. That could evolve into feelings being developed, and I am not about to deal with some high school girl having a crush on me.” Sunset opened her mouth to argue but closed it again with a dejected exhale. “Fine, then. I just-... I think it’s kind of rude to just-” “This was a hook-up, sweetheart. You don’t need to be concerned about my well-being.” “I don’t really think that’s-” “Enough,” Adagio ordered as she pulled her hair free from under the collar of her newly buttoned-up blouse. Sunset watched quietly as the older girl ran nimble fingers through her hair, gathering it all at the back of her head in order to pull it into its trademark ponytail, the steady ticking of the clock downstairs filling the silence between them. “So… Why did you, uh… Agree to do this, I guess?” The siren girl stepped into her skirt before pulling it up over her thighs, “Mh. Well, why not? I can now say that I got my revenge, in a way. You screwed me and the girls over, and I screwed you. Literally.” The redhead rubbed the back of her neck and averted her eyes sideward. “Plus, it means that you owe me. I helped you deal with your little problem, and now you can help me deal with mine.” Sunset eyed her wearily, brows furrowing slightly as she tried to comprehend what the other girl was saying. Her? Help Adagio? That was insane. Although… this entire situation was completely incomprehensible. “Now. Since your little Princess doesn’t seem to be fulfilling your needs, I have a proposition for you.” Sunset paused and pursed her lips in a hum, but allowed the other girl to continue. “You can call me whenever you need taken care of. But, in return…” Adagio stopped to zip up her skirt and tuck her shirt into its waistband, “I want you to give me singing lessons.” “You-... What?” The siren rolled her eyes and exhaled through her nose as if what she was about to say was the most obvious thing in the world. “I haven’t been able to sing properly in almost two years. Up until our little battle, music was my only medium of self-expression for the past dozen millennia. It’s beginning to feel like an itch I can’t scratch. It’s the least you could do after all, since you are the one to blame.” “You were trying to control people in order to take over the world.” “That’s besides the point. Now, do we have a deal?” The red-haired teen mulled it over in her mind for a moment, her eyes searching the other girl’s face for any signs of insincerity. However, even in the dark, Sunset could tell she was being serious. She weighed up the pros and the cons— but no matter how she looked at it, she seemed to be the only one who saw to really gain anything in this situation. If these feelings were to ever arise again, she’d have someone to help her take care of it. Teaching someone to sing couldn’t really be that hard, right? Since their pendants had been shattered it meant their magic was also gone, too. Right? It would now be Adagio’s own genuine talents being put to work. It was a win-win either way. “Uh-... Sure, then. I guess-” “Wonderful,” Adagio flashed her wink before turning on her heel. “I already added your number to my phone before this little meeting just in case you’d be so co-operative. I’ll show myself out.” Sunset could only stare after her, the clacking of the siren’s heels echoing throughout the large apartment as she followed the stairs to the main living area and picked her jacket from the back of the couch, before finally making her way towards the front door. Adagio paused in the doorway for a moment, pursing her lips in a hum. “You know, that Princess of yours is so lucky. You’re absolutely adorable.” And with that, Sunset was alone. She sighed, finally collapsing against her mattress once again. “What the fuck did I just do.” Author's Note Had this one sitting in the drafts for a couple of years and finally decided to dust it off and let it see the light of day.
A true, true, friend.Sunset held her head in her hands. The events of Saturday night had left her sore and spent; despite it now being Monday, the marks Adagio had left on her skin were still prevalent, no matter how much concealer she tried to apply to the bruised skin. She didn’t want to risk the girls— or anyone else for that matter— finding out about her little sleepover, and so, she did what any other rational person would’ve done. “Sunset, darling? Why on earth are you wearing a turtleneck in 90° weather?” Rarity piqued a brow as she approached the lunch table, tray in hand. “Yeah, Sugar Cube,” Applejack blinked. “Don’cha know it’s almost June?” The fashionista took a seat across from the red-head, who avoided eye contact with the pair, before settling her elbows on the table to rest her chin on her intertwined fingers. “I must admit, though. The new look suits you.” “Ah. Uh, thanks.” Sunset laughed meekly, “I was…. just trying out something new. I think I’ll just stick to my leather jacket, though. I’m literally melting.” “Who’s ice cream’s melting?!” Pinkie Pie bounced over, Twilight not far behind. Rarity dismissed her with a wave. “No, no, dear. Sunset Shimmer is trying out a new look and is realizing how entirely impractical a turtle neck is in summer.” She gave Sunset’s shoulder a reassuring pat, “Don’t worry darling, we’ve all made that mistake.” Applejack narrowed her eyes a bit. “Uh… have we?” “A-anyway,” Sunset sputtered, eager to change the subject, “how’s everyone’s classes today? Mr. Crankydoodle sprung a pop quiz on us in history. I’m pretty sure I failed it.” Twilight gave the taller girl a teasing smirk as she took the seat beside her. “It isn’t really springing something when he let us know on Friday we had a quiz coming up. I spent the whole weekend studying just in case.” She smiled, “what did you girls get up to?” Shit. “Oh! Applejack and I went to that new popup boutique at the mall. They have an entire section dedicated solely to body butter and moisturizers. Honestly, darlings, I couldn’t decide which one to buy.” “No kiddin’,” The farm girl tipped her hat, “She ended up buyin’ five.” “Ugh!” Rarity guffawed in exasperation, “don’t pretend that two of those weren’t for you. You should have seen her, practically drooling over the chocolate-scented body scrubs.” Applejack blushed and tapped her forefingers together, guilty. “What, er- what about you, Fluttershy? You’ve been awful quiet.” The pink-haired girl flinched with a start, eyes finally focusing on the rest of the group. “Oh! Sorry,” she spoke timidly, curling a lock of hair behind her ear, smoothing it into the rest. “I’ve been a little distracted lately.” “Is everything alright?” Sunset arched a brow, genuinely curious, and not just because she was grateful no one was prying into her own personal life. “Mhm,” the other girl nodded with a small smile. “Just busy with work. The animal shelter’s having a fundraiser soon. They want to buy new veterinary equipment, I’ve been trying my best to think of ways to help.” “That’s so exciting!” Pinkie Pie lurched forward, gripping Fluttershy’s hands with vigor, much to the other teen's dismay. “I’d totally be down to help if you or the shelter need it!” Fluttershy smiled. “Thank you. It would really mean a lot. We need all the help we can get at the moment,” she slipped her hands-free once Pinkie had relented enough, to pull a sheet of paper from her backpack. “I’ll be handing out fliers for it soon. We’re just finalizing designs.” Rarity took the flier and inspected it closely, Applejack leaning in at her side. She then passed it around the table for everyone to see. “Well that’s wonderful, Fluttershy,” she smiled. “Put my name down for volunteering as well.” Applejack nodded, “Me too.” The rest of the table then turned their attention to Sunset, who did her best not to shrink under their eyes. “U-uh,” she offered a shaky thumbs up, “me, too! Obviously. It’s not like I have anything else I’d rather be doing.” As the rest of the group fell back into their usual chatter: chores, annoying customers at work, and tests, Sunset resigned to fork at her lunch, unable to stomach anything else. “Rarity was right.” “Hm?” She glanced up to look at Twilight, who offered her a gentle smile. “The turtleneck— it looks nice on you.” “Oh–” Sunset’s cheeks felt warm as she rubbed at the back of her neck, “it’s not new or anything. I just don’t really wear it that often. You uh… you really like it?” The bookworm nodded and plucked an apple slice from the red-heads lunch tray. “You should wear it more often.” “Yeah?” She stole a grape from Twilight’s tray and popped it into her mouth. “I think I might.” “So you took my advice?” Rainbow Dash quirked a brow as Sunset tried her best to keep pace with her; running and talking were never her strongest subjects. The red-head panted and nodded sheepishly. “I can’t believe you lost your virginity at the weekend and didn’t call me immediately. It’s true what they say, you’re a real firecracker, Sunset Shimmer.” Sunset growled with a frown. “No one says that,” a pause, “and can you please keep your voice down? I don’t need everyone gossiping about me.” Dash raised her hands defensively. “I won’t tell a soul.” She remained quiet for a second, before turning around to face the other teen as she ran backward. “So, tell me, who’d you bang?” The former equestrian’s voice caught in her throat as she let out a strangled yelp, tripping over her own feet and crashing into the red AstroTurf of CHS’ running track. Rainbow Dash stopped and jogged back over to where the girl lay in a mess of limbs. “Sorry. Did I catch you off guard?” “Ugh—” Sunset frowned and pulled herself back onto her feet with the other girl’s help. She dusted herself off and winced down at her grazed knees, waving a hand toward the teacher, before giving a thumbs up and hobbling off to the side to sit at the edge of the grass. The rainbow-haired girl offered Sunset a bottle of water, to which she accepted and poured over her injury with a quiet gasp of pain. “Least now you can say you got those bruises on your neck from track, I guess.” “Dash?” “Yeah?” “Shut up.” The other girl rolled her eyes with a huff. “I’m sorry! I’m just curious. The most eventful thing that's happened recently was when Twilight singed her eyebrows off in chemistry class.” “That was months ago?” “Exactly, Shimmer! I need drama.” She was indignant, “Or literally anything to distract from the fact finals are coming up soon.” “I think you’ve been spending too much time with Rarity,” she mumbled, raising the bottle of water to her lips and taking a swig. Honestly, the idea of finals and graduation had slipped her mind as of late. Not that she would ever openly admit that, given how the other girls would no doubt grill her for it, asking how that could even be a possibility. Her mind had just been elsewhere; dancing between anxiety and euphoria. With a breath of relief, Sunset held the bottle between her thighs, grateful for the condensation that chilled her skin as she reached up to untie and then re-tie her ponytail, high on her head. “I’m not telling you who it was with. That’s private. It doesn’t matter to you anyway.” “Do I know them at least?” Sunset paused and debated whether to play this little game of hot and cold. “Sort of.” Rainbow Dash perked up and drummed her palms against the tops of her thighs in excitement. “Girl or guy?” Another pause and Sunset lifted the bottle to her lips, hesitating, before taking another tentative sip. “Girl.” “A gir—!? Oh my god. What was it like?” The redhead narrowed her eyes, searching for any hint of mischief in Rainbow Dash’s curious expression. When she found none, she furrowed her brows upward before looking down at her hand. She ran her thumb over her palm and, with a light blush, she shrugged. “I dunno. Like— I mean— it was nice, I guess?” “Nice? Sunset, oh my god—” She squirmed under the other girl’s stare. “What? I don’t know what you want me to say.” “Did you top?” “I—” she let out a huff, “no, I didn’t.” Rainbow Dash beamed, clearly wildly amused by all of this. “This is amazing.” “And how’s that?” “Well, because,” Dash spread her arms out wide, “think about it. It’s kinda hilarious.” “Elaborate?” Sunset narrowed her eyes, suddenly irritated. “You used to be, like, the queen bee. Now you’re sat with me, on the bleachers in P.E, talking about how some chick topped you.” Sunset slugged her in the shoulder, face flushed red. “I said keep your voice down, bonehead!” “Ouch!” Dash whined, rubbing at her arm with a frown. “Alright, alright, jeez. Calm down. I’ll be quiet.” The red-head twirled the strand of hair at the side of her head before pushing her bangs from her face with a sigh. “I’m just—… I don’t want anyone to know. You can’t even tell the girls about this. Is that clear?” “Not even Fluttersh—” “Especially Fluttershy! Are you an idiot? No, wait, don’t answer that.” “Wh—?” Dash glowered, “I’m not stupid! It’s just that Fluttershy and I tell each other everything. I just wanted to double-check.” “Well, I’m making myself clear. Don’t speak about this to anyone. You’re the only one I can talk to about this without blowing it out of proportion. I’m trusting you, Dash. Don’t make me regret it.” “Okay, okay,” she raised her hands once more, defensively, “I get it. Jeeze.” They watched from afar as the rest of the class hunched over on the other side of the field, huffing and blowing hot air. May was coming to a close and June was soon to be in full bloom, the blue, cloudless sky above only made its arrival more evident. Sunset raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun. “We missed you at lunch today.” Rainbow Dash lay back against the grass, crossing her arms behind her head and closing her eyes. “I’ve got a secret too, Shimmer.” Sunset quirked a brow, watching her curiously and waiting for her to elaborate. Rainbow Dash peeked an eye open to make sure her audience was captivated. “Extra credit.” “Don’t you already have all the extra credit you need? You’re in, like, every sports team ever.” “Yeah, but if I want to actually graduate I need to make up marks in a couple of my other classes.” She sat forward again, “I pretty much have a full ride to any sports college I want. But I want to actually be proud of my grades, too.” Dash pulled out some of the grass at her side and toyed with it, before tossing it against the wind. “Don’t tell anyone though. I don’t want them to think I actually, like. Care.” “Oh, of course not,” Sunset rolled her eyes, offering the bottle of water as a peace offering. “Wouldn’t want people to know you’re actually an egghead.” “Obviously.” “Obviously,” Sunset repeated. The breeze carried over distant instructions from the far end of the field, where the rest of the class continued doing stretches and partnered drills. Sunset watched in quiet appreciation, grateful for the beat of silent bliss. She sat on her hands. Pinching her lips into a line, she glanced at the other girl, who tipped her head back and swallowed down a mouthful of water. “...Do you think it’s weird?” “Huh?” Rainbow Dash arched a brow. “Is what weird?” Sunset shrugged and stared down at her feet. Her lace was coming undone. “I don’t know. That I slept with someone, I guess? That it was my first time?” She hesitated, “That it was a girl?” Her teeth nibbled at the inside of her lip anxiously, her forehead wrinkling just the same. Rainbow Dash didn't answer immediately, instead watching the group of students stumble over themselves and help each other back up. “Nah. I mean, I know I was teasing you and asking you a hundred questions, but I don’t really think it’s that big of a deal.” She gave the red-head a nudge with her shoulder, “get out of your head, Shim.” Sunset smiled and nudged her back, curling a strand of hair away and out of her face. “Sorry,” she chuckled, “you know me.” “Yeah. And you know me– and the girls. I get that you want to keep things private, and I’ll never push you to talk about things that you don’t want to. But I know none of them would judge you for it. I mean,” Rainbow Dash snorted, “if they can get over what happened at the fall formal, I’m sure they won't care that you’ve got some girl in your bed.” She flushed, giving Rainbow Dash another playful punch in the arm. “Thanks, Dash.” “No problem, casanova.” She smirked. Sunset buried her face in her hands with an exasperated groan. Rainbow Dash held an arm across her stomach, trying to contain her laughter. Author's Note Thank you so much for all of the comments and views on the previous chapter, I really appreciate knowing what people do and don't enjoy from reading whatever I write. Looking forward to hearing what you all think of the rest of this story.
Building bridges.“Rainbow Dash…” Adagio tapped at her chin, “she’s the dull one, right?” “I—” Sunset pursed her lips, “no. I mean, yes, but— that’s besides the point.” “There was a point?” The siren quirked an amused brow at Sunset’s endless pacing and flicking through sheets of music. “Well, I mean, not really. I just thought you should know that she kinda knows about… you know.” “Us fucking?” Sunset pursed her lips and glared over her shoulder as she pulled a sheet of paper from her music folder. “Do you have to be so to-the-point?” Adagio hummed and tilted her head, plucking the paper from the other girl’s hands with an amused grin. “Yes. I legally can’t dance around issues.” Sunset narrowed her eyes. “That seems inconvenient.” Adagio shrugged, “I like to deal with things fast. I don’t have patience for children.” The red-head blew out a breath of air and teetered on her heels. “So… should we get started?” Adagio nodded and raised the paper to scan over the notes. Sunset gave her a bit to take it in, but when Adagio’s mouth drew into a line she knew something was wrong. “Everything okay?” “Yes. I’m fine.” “Then why the nervous look?” Adagio shot her a glare. “I’m not nervous. I’ve just tried to read music before and it didn’t help. Singing always came naturally to me and now it doesn’t. Trying to read notes on a page is just… an unnecessary technicality.” “Ah…” Sunset scratched at her cheek, shifting her weight onto one leg, “I see.” She looked about the apartment from where she stood, blowing air into one cheek and letting it out in small bursts. She hummed. Furrowing her brows and racking her brain, a smile soon lit up her features as she turned, pacing over to the large metal cabinet at the foot of her stairs to dig through it. It only took a moment, but she pulled a keyboard into her arms and turned to set it down atop the back of the couch, Adagio adjusting herself on the arm to face the red-head as she beamed. “Will this work? Or have you tried harmonizing before?” Adagio clicked her tongue. “I’ve tried before,” she pushed the hair from her face, “but if I’m being honest it was just disheartening. I didn’t want the girls to hear me either, and I just ended up frustrated.” Sunset nodded and flipped the keyboard on, taking a moment before tapping a few keys to make sure the battery was still good. She looked to Adagio with a smile, “We can start with an easy pentatonic scale. Just try and match the note, okay?” “I’m not a child, Sunset. You don’t need to be gentle with me.” “I—” she frowned, “I’m not. I’m just being friendly. I don’t want you to feel pressured to get it right the first time.” “So we’re friends now? Is that right?” Adagio piqued a brow and leaned against the back of the couch, folding one leg over the other. “That’s sweet.” Sunset rolled her eyes with a frown. “I get you’re not into the whole friendship thing, but I just don’t want there to be any tension between us.” She paused, trying to sound as gentle as possible, “Honestly… what you said on Saturday really stuck with me.” “Oh? What part? The part where I said you wanted your little princess friend to fuck you, or the part where I—” “Adagio!” the red-head snapped. The other girl raised her brows and held up her hands, surrendering. Sunset shook her head, steadying her voice. “I meant the part where you said it was my fault that you couldn’t sing anymore. You’re right. It is my fault, and I want to make that up to you. Not just because you—” she blushed and averted her eyes a bit, “because we’re sleeping together. But because it’s the right thing to do.” “Well aren’t you just so noble.” Adagio rolled her eyes, fighting off the urge to gag. Sunset grumbled, “Do you want to do this or not?” The siren sighed and waved a hand to signal for the younger girl to begin with the keyboard. She hesitated, swallowing nervously before opening her mouth to sing. Off-key would’ve been a compliment. Adagio physically winced at the sound of her own voice, even more so as Sunset shifted onto the next note in the sequence, and so on. She fidgeted with her fingers and kept her eyes low as Sunset played about with the keyboard settings. “Alright. I’ll be honest, that was really bad.” Adagio scoffed, “You don’t hold back.” Sunset smiled, “It’s not really my style.” With a shrug, she started playing out another scale in a lower octave. “Try this. You’re saying singing came naturally to you, so maybe you can’t sing anymore because you just don’t know how to.” Adagio raised a brow. “Very attentive. Have you ever thought of becoming a detective?” Sunset rolled her eyes at the other girl’s incessant sarcasm. “No– what I mean is–” she grasped for the words with open hands, “It was natural. Singing was as natural to you as magic is for Unicorns. Sure, we learn different spells, but fundamentally it’s all the same. It’s like breathing.” Adagio nodded slowly, narrowed eyes indicating that she was following along. “But now, without your magic, it’s like you have to learn to breathe. You have to break it down to the fundamentals.We can work on breathing techniques and finding your voice type first, then worry about singing in key. Sound good?” Adagio let out a deep, huffed sigh and finally let her shoulders drop as she relaxed. “Alright. I suppose I can trust you. It’s not like I have much of a choice.” Sunset shot her a wink. “You’re in good hands.” “I’ve just never had a real relationship before,” Sunset shrugged as she plucked more noodles from her take-out box between pinched chopsticks, “I didn’t really see what was so important. I just… used people to get what I wanted. It was as simple as that.” Adagio swallowed down her own food with a nod before prodding at her plate with a fork. “You don’t need to explain yourself to me, Sunset Shimmer. I know how electrifying it feels to take advantage of someone’s naïveté. You don’t need to play nice,” she gave her a grin and a quick wink, “I won’t tell anybody.” Sunset gave a chuckle and shoveled her food into her mouth, much to the dismay of Adagio, who watched as she slurped the noodles past her lips. “Charming.” They’d finished up Adagio’s vocal training for the day some time ago and had decided to order Chinese for dinner. The siren had turned the other girl’s offer down at first, but the ache of hunger in her stomach persuaded her to comply. Sunset had asked if she wanted to watch a movie to pass the time, but the older girl had to once again reject her. She reminded the former unicorn that she had no interest in becoming anything more than what they were currently... whatever that may have been; and so they merely sat on Sunset’s couch, telling tales of their lives, and teasing each other all the same. “I once… dated,” Adagio punctuated with air quotes, nausea evident on her face, “this one boy who thought himself to be the next big shot of the music industry. Couldn’t write a lyric to save his life, of course, and went on to live in his parent’s basement well into his thirties. Celestia knows what he’s up to now– if he’s even still alive.” She shrugged and ate some more of her noodles. Sunset paused and sat her chopsticks in her take-out container before sliding down from the arm to sit on the cushion beside Adagio, facing her front-on. “So you’re like… actually thousands of years old?” Adagio tutted and wagged her finger, “Now, now, Sunset. You should know it’s not polite to ask a lady her age.” She smiled and set her plate on the redhead's coffee table, turning towards her to indulge in her curiosity. “I’ll be honest, I’ve spent so much time in this world that I’d lost the patience to keep track. Aria, Sonata, and I must have roamed Equestria for well over a millennia before we began wreaking some real havok.” She inspected her nails, glanced up at the younger girl, and smirked as she seemed almost captivated by her. “But when we got here, I was in a teenage girl's body. I don’t know if maybe some of our magic from Equestria leaked over and kept us young, or stopped us aging like normal humans, but since you and your little friends destroyed our gems…” Adagio’s confidence faltered a bit before she let out a sigh, “Well, let’s just say I haven’t exactly enjoyed the back pain in the morning.” The red-head looked down at her hands and wrung them awkwardly. “Sorry…” “Don’t be. We all need to get older. To be honest, I’m… somewhat glad. It’s nice to feel mortal. It’s exciting,” she flashed her teeth in a grin. Sunset didn’t want to admit it but Adagio was… charming. She was charismatic, and even without her magic, she was absolutely enchanting. “Well,” the older girl spoke as she pushed herself up from the couch, “thank you for the food, but I should really be off.” Adagio collected her purse from beside the coffee table and slung the strap over her shoulder. Sunset watched her gather her things and pluck her jacket from the coat rack by the door before piping up. “When can I see you again?” Adagio fixed her with a look, eyeing her curiously for a moment before giving a smirk. “You’re really that wound up?” “That’s not—” she blushed, “that isn’t what I meant. I mean, when do you want to do this again?” “Oh.” The siren hesitated, looking down at her feet and toeing the rug with her boot. “Well, I’m free Friday afternoon, if that’s alright? And if things have been… stressful this week, well..” she gave a small, teasing grin as she tilted her head a bit, looking the other girl up and down. “You can decide what we do, after my lesson.” Sunset blinked before giving a nod, “Yeah. Yeah, sure. Sounds good. Do you want me to pick you up, or—” “That won’t be necessary,” the siren raised a hand. “Make no mistake, this little arrangement is of mutual convenience; nothing more. We needn’t get personal. The less you know about me, the better. For the both of us.” A part of her wanted to laugh at the statement. What had they just spent the last hour doing if not exactly that? Regardless, she restrained herself and gave a nod. “Yeah, right… sorry.” Adagio smiled and cracked the door open, “See you this weekend.” Shooting Sunset one last wink and blowing a kiss before stepping out the door, she left the apartment. Sunset let out a shaky breath. It wasn’t until she was left alone in her own silence that Sunset realized just how empty the sizeable apartment felt without someone else there, something she had never once noticed before the conclusive night of the fall formal. She turned to the coffee table, regarded Adagio’s plate, still half-filled with noodles, and moved to collect it. The kitchen was a dingy, narrow thing. Yellow bulbs buzzed overhead as she scraped what was left of Adagio’s dinner into the trash and soaked the brown-smeared plate in the sink. She then returned to her own food, bullying chow mein into a soy sauce-drenched corner of the takeout box. Since meeting Princess Twilight Sparkle, reluctant but succumbing to her teachings about friendship, Sunset had found every waking minute of her time consumed, since then, by laughter and antics. She smiled idly, reminiscing of a younger time, when it seemed the whole world would fall apart if she didn’t win some pageant crown. She was grateful for what she had now. What the princess had done for her. What precious, little time she had to herself. It should have been enough. She set her takeout down on the coffee table once more, abandoning it for sleep instead. Sunset climbed the stairs, trailing fingers over the fairy lights Rarity and the girls had helped wind around the handrail. The fashionista had insisted on livening up the place, only encouraged by Pinkie Pie, who declared that the group had to leave their mark on her home, so that she would never forget that she wasn’t alone anymore. That she had friends now. That she was loved. Sunset flopped onto her bed heavily, covering her eyes with her forearms as she lay flat on her back. Finals were coming up; she had to study. Author's Note Sorry for the delay between chapters! Job hunting has been a nightmare. Happy to say that I am back though and ready to carry on with this story- plenty of chapters still to come!
Enemies with benefits.“Now this is something I’d never expected to see.” Adagio quirked a brow as she undid the last button on her blouse, before tossing it onto the bottom of Sunset’s bed. The other girl was sitting at the edge of the mattress, shifting awkwardly as her eyes drank in the moonlit figure of the woman in front of her. Honestly, how she’d found herself in this situation, Sunset couldn’t quite remember herself. ‘Hooking up’ wasn’t exactly her go-to pass time. It wasn’t that she was averse to it– she didn’t particularly care who was or wasn’t sleeping around with who; honestly, the topic of sex wasn’t something she ever found herself drawn to, either. However, recently she’d found her eyes lingering. On shapes. On curves. On the corners of mouths and—…. well. She just didn’t know why. Normally in times like these she would seek help and guidance from Princess Twilight through the journal, but… This time, she wasn’t quite sure asking the Princess was the best idea. Anxiety lingering in her gut, something told her that this was more than just mixed up feelings to do with the magic of friendship; and so, she decided to confide in a friend that might know what she was going through. Rainbow Dash was…. Probably not the best person either, though. Of course, she’d managed to nail down exactly what had been bothering her, but… the advice the athlete had given her wasn’t as helpful as Sunset had anticipated. The blue girl had informed her— as gently as she could, given the circumstances— that the feelings the red-haired teen had been experiencing was… Simply her hormones. “Stop joking around here Dash!” She’d responded with furrowed brows, swatting the other girl on the arm. But the absence of Rainbow’s usual charismatic sarcasm and ensuing laughter left Sunset with yet another deep pit in her stomach. She didn’t know what to do, who else to turn to, and the last thing she wanted to do was follow Rainbow Dash’s advice of “Just find someone to bone. It’s not weird or anything; I’m sure you’re not the only one our age that just wants to f—” Sunset promptly cut her off with a punch in the arm. She didn’t want to follow her advice. She really didn’t want to, but… She now found herself face to face with the very siren that she and her friends had stripped of her powers not even two years ago, now. The girl in question pulled a hair tie from her golden curls and slid it over her wrist for safekeeping, before wrapping her arms around Sunset’s neck and straddling her thighs. The red-haired teen swallowed down a thick knot. “So,” Adagio mumbled, dragging her teeth over the skin of Sunset’s neck with a heated huff of breath, “isn’t this a tad out of character, little-miss ‘redeemed hero’?” The younger girl tilted her head to the side slightly, allowing the siren better access to her throat as she exhaled through her nose. Pursing her lips, Sunset averted her eyes, focusing all of her attention on the far-end wall of her apartment. “I just-... oh, you know, I just-” “Just wanted to get your rocks off? Thought I’d be an easy fuck?” “No, I-” “Well, Sunset Shimmer, that’s very presumptuous of you.” Sunset frowned and shifted again awkwardly— as best she could with Adagio on top of her. “I’m sorry… It- it’s really shitty when you put it like that... We can stop, I-” “It was a joke, Shimmer. I don’t care. I’ve been alive longer than Equestria, if you think a little school girl wanting to fool around for a night just because of a stereotyped assumption is enough to hurt my feelings, then my, you’re much more naive than I initially thought.” The red-haired girl let out a strangled whine as Adagio blew against her ear, her face teeming in a heated blush as she drew her own lips into a firm line. “My, quite sensitive aren’t we?” Adagio chuckled before pressing a kiss to Sunset’s pulse. “But, you know Sunset: being promiscuous isn’t the only thing sirens are known for, right?” “Uh- what-” The older girl grinned against the flesh of her throat before running her tongue over Sunset’s skin. Adagio’s teeth brushed against the nape of Sunset’s neck before she bit down and sucked. “Mh-!” Sunset winced with a squeak. Only after the other girl began to turn her head toward her shoulder in pain did Adagio pull away to wipe at her bottom lip with her thumb, grinning as she admired her work. “That’s sure to let your little friends know just the kind of things you get up to in your free time.” Sunset frowned once more and furrowed her brows slightly, “That hurt.” “Oh, darling that is the least of your problems tonight.” “What is that supposed to-” Adagio cut her off promptly, shoving her backward against the mattress. In quick succession, she reached for the hemming of Sunset’s shirt, peeling it up and over the other girl's shoulders. There was a pause in Adagio’s movement as she stared down at the girl below her, a small smirk pulling at the corners of her lips. “Bunnies, Sunset? Really?” Sunset instinctively crossed her arms over her chest and tried to turn away from the other girl’s gaze, embarrassment keeping her face a deep, red hue. “That’s fine. You don’t need to look at me,” the smirk was practically dripping from the siren’s voice as she ran her hands along the other girl’s sides, to her shoulders, before forcing Sunset onto her front. The redhead let out a small grunt. “I am curious, though,” Adagio continued, tracing her fingers over Sunset’s skin, drinking in the way the other girl would squirm and squeak under her touch. “Why ask me of all people? Surely one of your little friends would’ve been more than willing to help you out, no?” Sunset turned her head to shoot an incredulous glare up at the girl above her. “I- what-” “Why don’t we just cut the bullshit and get right to the point, hm?” As if to punctuate her sentence, Adagio dug her nails into the skin of Sunset’s hips, forcing a pained cry from her throat, before Adagio shifted once again, propping Sunset up onto her knees. The red-haired girl tried pulling her arms free from their trapped position between her chest and the mattress and moved to sit up– before Adagio forced her face back into the sheets. Trained fingers deep in red tresses, Adagio pressed her hand firmly against the back of Sunset’s head. “You just stay there and do as you’re told, alright? You called me, remember? I’m in charge.” Teal eyes widened before Sunset gave a single, affirming nod. Adagio smiled and slipped her hand from Sunset’s hair, instead interlacing her fingers over the back of Sunset’s own, her other hand snaking down to slip beneath the waistband of the red-headed teen’s underwear. Sunset’s teeth dug into her lower lip as she felt two of Adagio’s fingers run along the length of her womanhood on either side, letting out a shuddered breath as she felt them finally push themselves inside. The siren’s pace was steady and slow at first, but it was only when she rested the palm of her hand against Sunset’s clit that Adagio received any kind of physical response. The red-haired teen jolted in place, her shoulders rising from the bed slightly as she tried to let out a deep breath; however, Adagio’s hand once again returned to its position on the back of the younger girl’s head. “A-ah- fuck-” Sunset hissed out between gritted teeth, back arching as her face was forced further into the mattress. Her fingers dragged along the dark sheets by her head before gathering the material in a bunch, her hands shaking– just like the rest of her body– at the other girl’s touch. “There’s a good girl. Stay in that position: on your hands and knees. It rather suits you, since all you seem to do is bow down to that little Princess of yours,” the siren smirked, extremely amused at the trembling mess of a girl before her. “Oh, I know,” She teased, bending forward to press her bare chest against the flush of Sunset’s back as she whispered, low, in her ear. “Why don’t we play a little role-playing game, hm? Why not close your eyes and pretend I’m that precious Twilight Sparkle you seem so invested in. That’s who you’d really want to be fucking you, right?” Sunset opened her mouth to retort, but her words caught in her throat, vocalizing only as a whimpered gasp before she bit down on her lip once more. A deep chuckle bubbled from Adagio’s chest as she curled the two fingers inside the girl below her. “It’s alright. I won’t be offended. Upset she’ll be getting all the credit of making you squirm, maybe, but if that’s what gets you off, then by all means.” Sunset let out a panted breath as she opened her mouth to object, but closed it once more to swallow thickly. Adagio had instructed her to cut the bullshit, which was enough indication to let her know that the siren had seen right through her. Fighting her on it would only embarrass herself further in the eyes of the other girl. She’d resolved to just do as she was told, but was stolen from her thoughts as another wave of pleasure drowned her senses in ecstasy, a guttural moan forcing itself from her chest before she inhaled with a whine. “Well? What’s it going to be?” “Tw… light-” she breathed. Adagio hummed and turned her head to whisper into Sunset’s ear once again, “I can’t hear you.” “Please-... Twilight-” The other girl’s name felt like a swear in her mouth as she bit her lip once more, and let another deep breath out through her nose, closing her eyes and furrowing her brows upward in shame. “There we go. Now we can really get into it,” Adagio almost purred as she kneaded her palm against Sunset’s clit. The red-haired girl moaned and gripped the sheets tighter, the mattress creaking below them as she arched her back in response to the white flash of heat that washed over her skin. Adagio slipped her hand beneath the wiring of Sunset’s bra to cup a breast in her hand, the other girl letting out a squeaked gasp as she closed her eyes tighter. There was no escape from the heated stimulation that was enveloping the former Equestrian completely, and wholly, especially as she felt the flesh of Adagio’s upper thigh pressing against her own, and the weight of the other girl’s hips digging into her back. But honestly…. She didn’t want to. She didn’t want this to stop. This entire experience was new, and, yes, laboring… but it was so good. She’d never felt this rush of sheer pleasure before in her life, and now it was crashing over her in waves. The mere brush of the other girl’s flesh against her own was enough to incite a reaction. Sunset gave the balled sheets in her hands a squeeze as she felt Adagio’s nails brush against the flesh of her chest, another shaky, heated breath escaping past her lips. “God, Twilight-” The mention of the other girl's name encouraged the hand to press against Sunset’s chest, moving in slow, clockwise circles— almost kneading as Adagio’s forefinger rested on the hardening peak of her breast, occasionally rubbing against it, forcing another whimper from the girl under her. The siren felt her cheeks warm in a blush of her own as Sunset began rocking against her palm in time with the thrusting of her fingers, forcing them deeper inside herself. “Good girl. Let all those little urges take over, it’s alright.” The former Equestrian whimpered as her body involuntarily spasmed, causing the mattress to creak under her weight, and she let out another breathy pant of the Princess’ name. When Adagio began to feel Sunset tighten around her fingers she let out a cluck of her tongue, “You’re so close. Don’t worry, soon all those horrible little thoughts will melt away. I’ll take them all from you.” All Sunset could do was nod and whimper, and she’d only realized how tightly she’d been clenching her eyes shut when she felt the wetness of tears gather around the bridge of her nose. Her back and neck arched as Adagio pressed her palm against her clit once more, the steady pace she’d been keeping up this whole time only now beginning to quicken in tandem. She tried her best to keep up, but with every pump of Adagio’s fingers, she found her body stiffening and contracting on itself, her breaths only coming out in quick pants against the sheets of her bed. Sunset’s body trembled as she reached her climax, and she did her best to suppress the loud squeak that escaped through her gritted teeth. The older girl peppered kisses along the skin of Sunset’s shoulder and continued pumping her fingers inside of the other girl before she felt her body fall limp beneath her, indicating that she’d finally ridden out the remainder of her orgasm. Sunset’s hips finally rested on the mattress as the siren removed her hand from her underwear and she glanced over her shoulder to finally look at the other girl properly, the blood in her veins almost running cold as Adagio lifted her wet slicked fingers to her mouth and sucking them clean. She didn’t know whether she was aroused or disgusted. Maybe both. Definitely both. “T-thank you-” she stuttered out, but the piercing red eyes that bore into her own forced her lips to draw into a crooked line. However, Adagio’s appearance seemed to soften as she blinked, removing the fingers from her mouth. She then proceeded to pick up the clothes that had fallen to the floor during their little endeavor. “You can uh- you can stay over if you want? I mean- I don’t really have an issue with-” “I’m stopping you there.” Adagio lifted a finger to silence her and quirked a brow. “Doing that would lead to sentimentality. That could evolve into feelings being developed, and I am not about to deal with some high school girl having a crush on me.” Sunset opened her mouth to argue but closed it again with a dejected exhale. “Fine, then. I just-... I think it’s kind of rude to just-” “This was a hook-up, sweetheart. You don’t need to be concerned about my well-being.” “I don’t really think that’s-” “Enough,” Adagio ordered as she pulled her hair free from under the collar of her newly buttoned-up blouse. Sunset watched quietly as the older girl ran nimble fingers through her hair, gathering it all at the back of her head in order to pull it into its trademark ponytail, the steady ticking of the clock downstairs filling the silence between them. “So… Why did you, uh… Agree to do this, I guess?” The siren girl stepped into her skirt before pulling it up over her thighs, “Mh. Well, why not? I can now say that I got my revenge, in a way. You screwed me and the girls over, and I screwed you. Literally.” The redhead rubbed the back of her neck and averted her eyes sideward. “Plus, it means that you owe me. I helped you deal with your little problem, and now you can help me deal with mine.” Sunset eyed her wearily, brows furrowing slightly as she tried to comprehend what the other girl was saying. Her? Help Adagio? That was insane. Although… this entire situation was completely incomprehensible. “Now. Since your little Princess doesn’t seem to be fulfilling your needs, I have a proposition for you.” Sunset paused and pursed her lips in a hum, but allowed the other girl to continue. “You can call me whenever you need taken care of. But, in return…” Adagio stopped to zip up her skirt and tuck her shirt into its waistband, “I want you to give me singing lessons.” “You-... What?” The siren rolled her eyes and exhaled through her nose as if what she was about to say was the most obvious thing in the world. “I haven’t been able to sing properly in almost two years. Up until our little battle, music was my only medium of self-expression for the past dozen millennia. It’s beginning to feel like an itch I can’t scratch. It’s the least you could do after all, since you are the one to blame.” “You were trying to control people in order to take over the world.” “That’s besides the point. Now, do we have a deal?” The red-haired teen mulled it over in her mind for a moment, her eyes searching the other girl’s face for any signs of insincerity. However, even in the dark, Sunset could tell she was being serious. She weighed up the pros and the cons— but no matter how she looked at it, she seemed to be the only one who saw to really gain anything in this situation. If these feelings were to ever arise again, she’d have someone to help her take care of it. Teaching someone to sing couldn’t really be that hard, right? Since their pendants had been shattered it meant their magic was also gone, too. Right? It would now be Adagio’s own genuine talents being put to work. It was a win-win either way. “Uh-... Sure, then. I guess-” “Wonderful,” Adagio flashed her wink before turning on her heel. “I already added your number to my phone before this little meeting just in case you’d be so co-operative. I’ll show myself out.” Sunset could only stare after her, the clacking of the siren’s heels echoing throughout the large apartment as she followed the stairs to the main living area and picked her jacket from the back of the couch, before finally making her way towards the front door. Adagio paused in the doorway for a moment, pursing her lips in a hum. “You know, that Princess of yours is so lucky. You’re absolutely adorable.” And with that, Sunset was alone. She sighed, finally collapsing against her mattress once again. “What the fuck did I just do.” Author's Note Had this one sitting in the drafts for a couple of years and finally decided to dust it off and let it see the light of day.
