The Weight of Three Words

by Spyder27

Rating: everyone
Tags: Alternate Universe, Romance, Equestria Girls, Adagio Dazzle, Slice of Life, Human, Sunset Shimmer, Drama, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 6859

Adagio and Sunset have been casually dating for a year now. They both clearly enjoy each other's company, but when Sunset suggests going steady, Adagio freezes. Even after agreeing, she can't quite understand her own feelings on this new situation.

Adagio Dazzle fully intended to take over Sunset's high school, but fate had a different plan. Instead, Adagio ended up enjoying Sunset's company so much that she almost completely forgot about her plan to use her magic on Canterlot High. Now, a year later, Sunset and Adagio have been casually dating, the siren content with her new life. Sunset spins her on her head by suggesting for the two of them to go steady, admitting that she loves the siren. Adagio can't understand her own feelings. Does she love Sunset as well? How difficult can it be to say three words?

Hello, everyone! This story is a contest entry for The EQG Anniversary Spring Fling Contest on FiMFiction! I thoroughly enjoyed coming up with this idea and I highly suggest reading some of the other contest entries! Anyway, enjoy the show!

Published 2023-04-25 15:40:00 UTC
Last updated 2023-04-25 15:40:00 UTC

The Weight of Three Words

Campus life isn’t exactly something I am fond of. It is always busy whenever class lets out and it doesn’t help that universities have so many activities going on throughout the semester. Regardless, I do find it interesting to watch human behavior. The simple things that all humans do just shows how they are following a set order of events. Walking to a line, waiting your turn, finally ordering your food and then waiting for it to be made. That is one of the many specific instances I have observed throughout my time in the human world. Never did I think I would stay here, but something changed that. Or, more accurately, someone changed my mind…

Taking a sip of my coffee, I can’t help but idly watch the people in line, waiting to get something to eat or drink. I don’t have anything better to do while I wait. I mean, I could technically use my magic to cause a bit of mayhem, but that isn’t exactly… favorable. As much fun as that would be, it isn’t something I do anymore. She wouldn’t approve of it and… let’s face it, Adagio. Her opinions matter a lot these days.

Bringing my fingers to the red gem hanging from my neck, I can’t help but chuckle slightly. The image of Sonata and Aria comes to my mind, making me wonder how they’re doing at this moment. Despite the fact that the three of us share an apartment, the two of them went on a trip to study abroad for this semester. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t grateful for the quiet, but at the same time, I do miss them. For now. As soon as they get back, they will probably get on my nerves yet again.

“Are you thinking about casting spells on these poor people again?” a familiar voice asks me with a giggle, making me look up from my thoughts. Standing in front of me, a woman with orange skin and cyan eyes brushes the fiery hair out of her face. Even though she’s just wearing a hoodie and some jeans, she still looks pretty stunning for someone that seems like she just rolled out of bed. Gently, she grabs my hand with a smile before pressing her warm lips against my forehead, sitting down on the opposite side of the table.

“Good lord. What kind of studying did you do last night?” I ask her with a laugh, finding her messy hair humorous, yet… cute.

“How did you know I studied last night?” Sunset asks me with a curious stare, just making herself seem even more clueless.

“Shim Shim… You study all the time. It’s a part of your normal routine. You’re too smart for your own good,” I tease her with a shake of my head, sipping my coffee again. “Besides, you only get out of bed this messy if you just woke up from an all-nighter. You’re too predictable.” A small blush comes to Sunset’s face upon hearing my words, taking a deep breath to try and compose herself. Her hand reaches over the table and touches mine, giving me a smile.

“Well, yes. I studied a lot last night, but I wasn’t going to sleep past this. I set alarms, you know.” For some reason, her statement makes me feel a little curious. I love spending time with her. Sunset is always so cute in the weirdest ways possible, but I wouldn’t want to waste the time she could spend sleeping. Oh god… Sunset’s kindness really is rubbing off on me, isn’t it?

“We hang out all the time, Sunset. I wouldn’t have minded if you skipped out this time. You know how much I value my own sleep, so why wouldn’t I value yours?” Sunset opens her mouth to speak, but I can tell she’s clearly tired and trying to think of the right words. “Hold on. Let me help,” I tell her with a slightly annoyed tone, bringing my finger to her forehead. She really shouldn’t stay up all night like she does, but I can’t stop her. She’s a pretty confident person and she doesn’t like to be held down. At least not mentally. She does what she wants, whether I agree with it or not. Inhaling, I let out a very quiet note into the air, whispering a tune.

Sunset closes her eyes for a second before blinking a couple times, looking at me with surprise. “I… don’t feel that tired anymore,” she tells me with a confused tone. “Wait! You could do that this whole time?” Every time I use magic, Sunset has one of two different reactions. She either acts unapproving of my methods or she is surprised by the spells I can cast. Thankfully, her reaction followed the latter this time.

“Yes, I could. I probably haven’t shown you even half of the spells I know.” Chuckling to myself, I take my finger off her forehead, touching my gem for a moment.

“Oh my god, you would have been so helpful for some of my studying sessions. Why exactly didn’t you tell me about this before?” Sunset asks me with a cute laugh, seemingly in shock that this information wasn’t told to her before. I mean, I suppose I could tell her about all the spells I have access to, but that would take hours. Several boring hours…

“I don’t want you getting used to it, now do I? Besides, if I helped you stay awake all night to study, I would get no sleep. And before you ask, no. I can’t use this spell on myself. It is one of the more disappointing aspects of the spell.” I can tell there are more questions on Sunset’s mind, but I also know that I don’t necessarily want to be here for hours answering her questions about my magic. “Anyway, before we get too sidetracked, why did you want to talk with me? This isn’t one of our usual dates, so it does feel weird that you would say that we need to talk about something.”

Sunset and I… About a year ago, I didn’t even know who Sunset Shimmer was. I never heard of her before, nor would I have cared if I did. I was so hell bent on getting more magic that I didn’t really care about anything else. That was until I met her. Sunset wasn’t just some average high school girl. She looked me in the eye and did everything in her power to make me feel welcome. That was impressive and even when I treated her badly, she didn’t use it as an excuse to fire back at me. That took a lot of restraint on her part. Hell, I was close to turning their music festival into some battle of the bands type thing, but before I could do that, Sunset asked if I would like to hang out sometime.

Ever since then, she and I have been dating. I guess… that lust for power inside me didn’t control me as much after that. Sunset made me feel heard and honestly? She was open to hearing about my plans. I straight up told her how I wanted to rule Equestria, but she broke my plans down by asking me why. In a way, she made me question my own motives. I didn’t even notice that I stopped my plans for domination by the time she and I started dating. It just happened so naturally. That’s the reason why it is so… concerning to hear her say that we need to talk.

“Well, yeah. That is true. I’m the one who asked you here today,” Sunset says with a nervous chuckle, shrugging slightly. “I wanted to talk about… well, this.” Her finger points at the both of us to accompany her message, only making her statement that much more unnerving. “I have really enjoyed this. Us. I really like spending time with you, Adagio, and honestly? I hope you have too.” Raising my eyebrow, I put my coffee back down on the table, wanting to say something. Instead of saying anything, I decide to keep quiet, letting her finish her thoughts. She deserves that much at the very least. Still, I don’t know why she would think I haven’t enjoyed this. She’s fun to be around and especially fun to tease. “I wanted to tell you something. Recently, I’ve been having a hard time with my classes and… it made me think about my life. About our casual relationship and all. I realized I want more… Does that make sense?”

“Sunset, if you’re saying you want to date someone else, just spit it out already,” I tell her quietly, not really liking the idea, but I can’t control her regardless. “We’re not official, so you’re free to date other people. I know that-”

“No no, Adagio. It’s not like that. I’m not trying to say that at all,” Sunset quickly interjects, a concerned expression coming over her face. “I apologize. I made it sound serious, but I didn’t clarify what I was trying to say. What I’m trying to say is that I want more with you. Only you.” Taking a deep breath, Sunset holds my hand with a warm smile, using the silence to prepare her words. “I want to go steady with you because… I love you. I only realized that recently, but it’s the truth.”

For a second, it feels like my heart stops… Either that or time itself stopped. Did she… really just say that? It’s ironic. As a siren, I never thought I’d hear someone say that to me without some form of manipulation. I didn’t cast a spell on her and… here she is, saying that she loves me. How am I supposed to react to that…? Of course I enjoy our dates and… spending time with her. How do I respond exactly…? Do I love her…? Is that even possible for a siren like me? I…

Why am I so flustered…? Isn’t this to be expected? Here we are, dating for close to a year, and I am so surprised by three simple words. This is supposed to happen… The only problem is that I don’t know how to respond to this. This feels so sudden… It feels like I would be lying or leading her on if I said the same thing… Would… Would it be a lie? It’s true that I love spending time with her and dating her. Hell, I forgot about my plans of world domination simply because of how nice she is and how much I enjoy her company. But does that love transcend just the feeling of being with her…? Do I… love her?

“Adagio…?” Sunset slowly asks, calling for my attention and successfully breaking me out of my day dream. Looking up, I can see my lack of a response made her feel insecure, a nervous look on her face. In times like these, a feeling comes over me. A strong emotion that tells me I want to see her happy, not nervous or sad. An emotion saying that I… want to protect her.

“You want to go steady?” I ask her quietly, pulling my hand away from hers. “With me of all people? Sunset, you do know I’m a siren, right? For all you know, I could be another magical threat like you thought back when we first met.” Given, I was planning on taking over this world, so her fear was justified. Though, it still makes me wonder why she would trust me so much now, given that I’m still a powerful siren. How could she trust me so much when I could fall back on my old plans at any moment?

“You’re not like that, Adagio,” Sunset tells me with a small smile. Taking a moment to breathe, Sunset looks up at the ceiling of this little store, seemingly lost in thought. “You are a person who likes control. You hate having your life be up to the decisions of others. While yes, you did plan on taking over this world before, I can see that your new goal isn’t nearly as destructive. If anything, you like this more docile life of friendship and happiness.”

“Ugh, saying that out loud almost makes me want to vomit,” I tell her with a chuckle, surprised that she would say something like that. Though… she’s not wrong… “Do you actually want that, Sunset? To be with… me?” I still don’t know what to say exactly? Everything feels… fuzzy. I don’t know what to do or what is appropriate. A part of me says that this is a bad idea, but… an even bigger part of me wants to do this as well.

“I would. You’re the person who understands me the most and, like I said, I love you…” Sunset gently grabs my hand once more, looking into my eyes hopefully. Again, my mind draws blanks on what I should do, trying to find the words in her eyes. “Do you want to…?” she asks me just as gently as before, her voice soothing me yet making it even harder to say anything.

“I…” My voice trails off before I notice it. Why is it so hard to say yes…? Why is it so difficult to agree to this seemingly innocuous request? Is it because I’m afraid it would devalue me as a siren if I actually… loved someone? “I would like to try that,” I whisper in response, almost holding my breath. Sunset smiles at my answer, nodding to herself.

“I would love that~ Are you doing anything tonight? I was thinking we could go to dinner if you’re not busy.” Dinner… A proper date. The first date of our attempt at an actual relationship, huh? Does this mean she’s my girlfriend now? I… I hope I’m not making a mistake by doing this.

“I can do dinner.”

========================================================

The lights are dimmed inside this restaurant and the smell of noodles is ever present. Either that or chicken… In a way, it’s a bit overwhelming. No matter where I go, I seem to be more affected by the smells of things than the others around me. Maybe that’s due to me being a siren… I’m not sure. Regardless, this restaurant is something I didn’t quite expect. Sunset chose a Chinese restaurant for our dinner date, even though I expected her to go for Italian. I got to choose the time, so I chose to come here preferably late since I assumed not many people would be here.

That assumption is evidently wrong from the sounds of the many patrons inside this establishment. I guess it’s true what they say. Making an assumption makes an ass out of you and me. Sighing quietly to myself, I shake my head before looking at my phone again. I pulled out an expensive black dress from my closet for this. I made sure to paint my nails with a shiny red nail polish and honestly? I put a lot of effort into my appearance tonight. Even more than usual. Waiting here in this waiting area is a bit nerve-wracking since I look like someone stood me up with how much I look at my phone. I know she wouldn’t do that though-

The door to the restaurant opens beside me just as a woman walks inside, a shining red dress clinging to her figure. Without even looking at her face, I can tell who it is by the sweet smell of cinnamon. That is the kind of shampoo that Sunset uses pretty much every time she can. Looking up, I see Sunset put just as much effort into her own appearance as I did. Her lips are a shade of crimson red, but honestly? Her eyes capture my attention more than anything else. It doesn’t seem like she did anything to them, but those striking cyan eyes just make me feel lost. It is the lighting of the restaurant, right…? Probably… Regardless, I just… can’t help but admire her gaze.

“Hi, Adagio~ Sorry that I’m late. I had to finish a discussion board last minute for one of my online classes,” Sunset tells me with an apologetic tone, her nervous expression showing me just how sincere she is. Instantly, the idea of course assignments makes me want to groan. I forgot to do one of my own assignments before coming here. Fuck… I guess my only saving grace is that the professor is pretty understanding, so I can maybe email her after tonight.

“Don’t worry about it, Shimmer. I’m a siren that is thousands of years old. I think another few minutes isn’t that big of a deal,” I tease her with a raise of my eyebrow, placing my hand on my hip once I stand up. Sunset giggles to my joke, somewhat making me glad I said it to begin with. “By the way, you look really nice, Sunset.” Sunset’s cheeks blush at my compliment, but she maintains her composure and simply smiles at me.

“You’re one to talk. You’re stunning,” Sunset fires back with a smirk. In all honesty, I am not a stranger to compliments. People try to flatter me all the time, whether it is because of my magic or because they are simply enamored with me. Regardless, this compliment feels a lot more genuine… It feels better than many of the other compliments I have received. Maybe it is because it is coming from her.

“I’m a little surprised you picked this restaurant,” I tell her after a moment of silence, looking around. Sunset grabs my hand and nods a little, shrugging to herself.

“I thought it sounded nice~ Now, are you ready? I’m starving.” Sunset giggles before leading me to the counter, her hand never letting go of mine. Her hand is warm and soft… Is it warmer than usual? Honestly, everything about this night seems different than what is normal… It’s the atmosphere of the restaurant and… the context behind our date. “Could we get a table for two please?” Sunset asks the man at the counter. The man responds with the usual spiel that any employee would before grabbing a couple of menus, but if I’m truthful, I wasn’t listening at all. Instead, my eyes were focused on Sunset and how the light shines in her hair. She put a lot of effort into this date. She wasn’t lying when she said she loves me, was she?

The man leads us to our table and tells us he will be right back to take our orders. The booth has white glass right above the seats and the wall of the booth, making it feel just a little more private. In a way, I’m grateful for that. It adds a certain atmosphere to the night. Sunset’s eyes look down at the menu, but I already know what I want.

“What are you getting?” I ask her while resting my chin on the back of my hand, giving her my full attention. Sunset looks up at me with a curious stare, her eyes switching back and forth between me and my menu.

“I was thinking about something with chicken in it. What about you? I’m surprised you’re not looking at your menu,” Sunset tells me with a slight chuckle, amused by my actions.

“I’m just going to get some lo mein. Nothing too big. I wouldn’t want to lose my appeal on our first date as an ‘actual’ couple,” I accompany my statement with air quotes, teasing her with this whole concept of going steady. As much as it was a joke, I feel pretty complicated inside. I still don’t know why she would love me after just our casual dates. In a way, I’m a little afraid that maybe… maybe my magic influenced that. After all, I’m a siren. It’s not exactly in my nature to love or to be loved…

“Well, in my eyes, you would never lose your appeal, Adagio~” Sunset whispers with a coo to her voice. Slowly, but surely, her hand reaches over the table and cups my cheek, a wishful smile on her face. Her eyes are filled with a dreamy stare, yet they seem so sure. It’s enough to make my face feel hot from the blush. She’s never looked at me this passionately before… It feels… nice.

Before I can enjoy the moment any longer, the man comes back with a notepad, asking us what we would like to eat. “Lo mein, please. Just some water to drink.” Handing him my menu, I look back to Sunset only to find her standing up. She quickly gives him her order, brushing her hair back. As soon as he leaves, Sunset smiles at me and holds my hand for a couple of seconds.

“I will be right back. I have to go to the restroom.” Without a chance to respond, she leaves me alone with my thoughts, walking away from this shining table. Honestly, I’m surprised at how clean this restaurant is. You’d expect there to be some stains somewhere on the tables or on the floor, but there aren’t any that I can see. Accidents happen after all. Regardless, it does make the place feel much nicer. I’m glad Sunset chose this place.

Picking up a pair of chopsticks from the table, I gently move them around in my fingers, trying to find something for my hands to do. In a way, I feel happy to be here, yet anxious. This is our first official date as a couple. Well, I said we would give it a try, but this all feels a little… overwhelming. All the thoughts that fly through my head are sometimes too much to handle. The biggest question that circles my mind is “Why?” Why me? Why would she love me? I never used my magic on her to my knowledge, so it just makes it that much more confusing. No one has ever said those words to me before without being under some sort of charm. Yet here she is, proclaiming her love for me as if it is the god sent truth.

She is so convinced that she loves me that she jumped at the opportunity to ask me to dinner. Yet it doesn’t sound like she’s lying… I know I like her as well, but… do I love her? There’s no way I could say those kinds of words back unless I knew for sure that I meant them. What if… What if I used my magic against her unknowingly? Is it really that far out of the realm of possibility for me to believe that Sunset fell in love with me naturally? It’s just… difficult for me to see her point of view. I’m a siren for fuck’s sake. Doesn’t she know I’m a creature that leaves love off of the priority list? What does she see in me? Something to fix?

Sighing to myself, I shake my head, placing the chopsticks back down on the table. That is awfully assumptious of me. Here I am, trying to attribute some ulterior motive to Sunset’s confession when I know she isn’t that kind of person. Hell, I’m pretty sure I didn’t cast any spell on her either. Although, that is still up in the air…

A glass of water is set down in front of me, surprising me. The waiter has returned, but without saying anything, he just places our plates and glasses down on the table and leaves. Needless to say, it feels a little awkward, but I get it. Some people don’t like saying anything. I’m definitely not that shy, but to each their own. I disregard my own food for the moment. I’d rather wait until Sunset gets here to eat. I… feel like that would be the nice thing to do.

Gently holding the red gem between my fingers, I can’t help but think about how it feels to use my magic. There’s always that initial electric feeling, followed by a sense of power like no other. No matter how I think about it, I can’t remember ever using it on Sunset.

“Our food is here, huh?” Sunset’s voice asks me with a curious tone, causing me to look up at her. A smile is on her face as always, sitting down with nothing short of a satisfied expression on her face, “You even waited for me? That is really sweet, Adagio~” Sunset gently grabs a pair of chopsticks and urges me to do the same before taking a bite of her side of rice. She’s pretty skilled at using chopsticks. I never knew that. “Thank you for coming out with me~ I… I love you, Adagio,” she tells me with a happy tone, an expression of joy that can defeat the devil itself painted on her face.

My hand freezes. I can’t help but stop myself upon hearing her words. Locking my eyes with hers, I give her the best smile I can. No matter how hard I may try, I can’t tell her I love her. I can’t lie to her… I don’t know how I feel…

“I’m… glad I came here too~”

======================================================

The multi-colored lights of the carnival have always perplexed me. In a way, they look nice, but I can’t help but wonder why humans like them so much. Maybe it is because they don’t have magic in this world and this is the closest they can get to something of that caliber. Sunset and I both grew up in Equestria, so for me, the neon lights aren’t anything too special. Though, I suppose it does offer a certain atmosphere to the night.

Sunset takes a bite of her cotton candy, happily looking around the carnival. It seems like she’s more interested in the lights than I am. Well, she likes what she likes. Who am I to judge? Honestly, she does look nice in this lighting. Her eyes sparkle even more than usual and the uneven spread of lighting sometimes casts a shadow on us, making it feel just a little more… private. Sentimental.

It’s funny. Here I am explaining to myself that she likes what she likes, but I can’t seem to let that same message be shared for her love for me. It’s been a week now since we decided to go steady with each other and even though it’s been going well, I still can’t stop asking myself what she sees in a siren…

“I’m so glad you suggested the carnival~ I needed a break from studying after all,” Sunset tells me with a happy smile, briefly pressing her shoulder against my own. I was the one who suggested this. I love spending time with her, but the real reason I decided to go out tonight was to try and figure out my own emotions. Sunset holds my hand and my thoughts are filled with nothing but us and what this means to me.

“Well, I just wanted to have some fun. You spend way too much time studying, Shim Shim,” I tease her with a confident chuckle. It’s nothing but a facade to hide the true feelings inside me. My true thought process…

“And you hardly study at all. You keep using your magic last minute to get test notes off of one of your classmates,” Sunset tells me with her own smug look, shaking her head as if she disapproves of that. Before I can say anything in response, Sunset holds her cotton candy up to my mouth, looking at me expectantly.

“You expect me to take a bite of this when your mouth has already touched it?” I ask her with a prudish tone, pretending to be a bit more stuck up than usual. Honestly, I used to be really full of myself. In a way, I still am. The only person I think is better than me is Sunset herself because… well, let’s face it. This world isn’t exactly all sunshine. I look out for myself more often than not, but… when it comes to her? She’s one of the only people I put before myself besides Sonata and Aria. Possibly more so than them… I really do enjoy my time with her…

“Just eat it,” Sunset tells me with a roll of her eyes, still somewhat amused by my statement. Gently taking a bite out of her treat, I savor the taste for a moment, looking towards Sunset. She looks at me with a smile, simply happy that I accepted her offer. Seeing that joy in her eyes is so… nice.

“Look at this,” I whisper to her, pointing towards a set of lights strung up above us. Gently humming to myself, my gem glows ever so slightly. The lights above us brighten up a little bit more. Sunset’s eyes are fixed on the lights with wonder, surprised that my magic could do this. The colorful lights shine on her face, giving an extra special shine to her eyes. Would it be wrong to admire her even if she hasn’t done anything?

“Is something wrong?” Sunset asks me, noticing my stare. For a moment, I can’t help but feel my cheeks flush with embarrassment. I wasn’t exactly expecting her to notice me. She just looks… really…

“You’re beautiful,” I tell her quietly, giving her the best smile I can. Even though I usually hold up a confident bravado with everyone else, I can’t help but let that wall drop for this moment. She should know how sincere I am when I say that…

Sunset’s cheeks blush just as fireworks pop in the sky above us. Everyone around us cheers at the resulting explosions, but Sunset’s eyes are trained on me. “You’re beautiful too, Adagio,” she whispers, barely audible over the intermittent cheering. Even if I couldn’t hear her, I would be able to tell what she said. “I love you,” Sunset mouths to me, deafened by a new explosion overhead. A knot forms in my throat as soon as I realize what she said. Every moment with Sunset feels more magical than the magic I use on a daily basis. Every time she holds my hand, it’s electrifying and I can’t help but feel comforted in her presence. God, I used to be a siren who desired nothing but power, but now? Now all I want is to see her smile. I… really do care about her… Why is it so hard to figure out my own emotions?

“I…” Looking down to the ground, I can’t help but notice Sunset dropped her cotton candy. Did she drop it due to the fireworks? Or what I said…? “Oh. I need to get you another cotton candy, huh? You really are clumsy,” I tell her with a confident chuckle, pulling her along to one of the food carts. Fireworks still illuminate the night sky, adequately demonstrating my own turmoil. I ran away from that confession… I don’t even know how I feel and I’m not sure how to tell her anything related to my emotions. I’m such a coward…

========================================================

Sunset’s lips press against my own, once again reminding me just how soft and warm she is. Her hand gently rubs my shoulder, only the sound of a couple of cars outside disturbing us. Even though she invited me over to help her study, I can’t help but feel like we’ve done more flirting than anything else. She and I have been seriously dating for two weeks now. With every passing day, Sunset seems to care about me even more and honestly? I feel the same way… When we were just casually dating, there was always some sort of barrier to us explaining our feelings. We never felt exclusive, even if we didn’t date anyone else. But now? In a way, it feels nice… It feels nice to be the only one she does these kinds of things with. Hell, I know Aria and Sonata would tease me nonstop for this. Sirens aren’t exactly known to enjoy this sort of thing, but… it is hard not to enjoy this.

“I think we should probably stop for the night,” Sunset tells me quietly, taking the books out of our hands. Honestly, I can’t tell what she means by that. Does she mean studying or… this moment all together?

“I hope I helped you remember some of the concepts,” I respond with a fake shrug, standing up from the couch. My legs feel stiff from the night of studying. Sunset walks over to the counter where the sink is, filling a glass of water. Despite how small her dorm is, Sunset has made it a comfortable place. Her bed has a big comforter and her couch has comfy pillows. In general, she has a really cozy place.

“You did~ But I think I’m too tired to study any more tonight,” Sunset tells me before taking a sip of her water. Walking towards her bed, Sunset places the glass on the nightstand, yawning to herself. The dim lamp is the only light in the room, yet it somehow makes her hair shimmer from this angle. Smiling to myself, I can’t help but admire her for a moment. I’m glad I could help her tonight. Reaching for my boots, Sunset turns to look at me with a curious expression. “Where are you going, Adagio?” she asks me as if she didn’t expect for me to leave.

“Back to my apartment? I figured we were done for the night.” I chuckle at Sunset’s confusion, wondering what exactly is making her confused.

“But your place is halfway across campus,” she tells me before looking towards the window. “I figured you could stay the night.” Sunset opens the blanket to her bed, her eyes looking into my own. This isn’t the first time we have done this, but… it is the first time since we started seriously dating each other.

“Do you want me to?” My question is left unanswered, Sunset simply grabs my hand and sighs to herself. A small smile appears on her face, pulling me towards her.

“Of course, I want you to stay here. You can leave if you want to, but it would be nice if you didn’t.” Sunset’s eyes look into my very soul. Not a sound can be heard in this small room besides our breathing. Giving her a small nod, her smile widens. Her hand turns off the lamp, the only light still shining in her eyes coming from a streetlight past the window blinds. Hesitantly, I reach up and take off the gem around my neck. Sunset still holds onto my hand and the love in her eyes doesn’t disappear as I put the gem down on the nightstand. In small part, my heart feels relieved to know that my magic wasn’t influencing these feelings of hers. I already discounted that theory to begin with, but… it’s nice to have proof of her feelings for me.

Sunset turns away from me, propping herself up on the bed. Scooting to the far side of the bed, she makes enough room for me to get in beside her, her arms outstretched to me with a smile. Sliding inside the blanket, Sunset wraps her arms around me. I quickly do the same with her, feeling the warmth of her embrace calm my nerves. A sigh of content comes from her, possibly the biggest smile on her face as a result of our cuddle. Sirens aren’t known to be loving creatures, but… damn it all. This is heaven to me.

“Goodnight, Adagio,” Sunset whispers, pressing her lips against my own one last time. Everything about her is so… special to me. She makes me feel more alive than magic does itself. For some reason, Sunset loves me for me. While I can’t pretend to understand why, neither can I pretend that I don’t share those feelings in some way. Seeing the hope in her eyes and those beautiful smiles gives me more purpose than anything else ever has. I feel… so happy being in her arms. That I’m the only one who she would hold like this.

As soon as I’m sure she’s asleep, I kiss her forehead, wishing for this embrace to never end. “Goodnight, Sunset. Sweet dreams.”

=========================================================

The smell of cinnamon fills my lungs. Everything feels so warm and soft. It feels as if I am in a cloud itself. Taking another deep breath in, I can’t help but smile. I can feel her body still holding onto my own. The all too familiar feeling of that mental fog overcomes me. This fuzzy feeling is no doubt the one true sign of waking up. If I was asleep, then that was possibly the best sleep I’ve ever had. Despite the fact that there were no dreams, I felt at peace. The whole night felt peaceful. Sometimes, I wish my mind didn’t have to automatically wake me up.

Slowly opening my eyes, I can’t help but squint, the light of the sun shining in through the blinds illuminates the room. Sunset’s bright red hair is pretty messy, but it doesn’t take away from her beauty at all. If anything, she looks even cuter like this. Gently bringing my hand up, I drag my finger across her cheek. I’m so lucky… Magic, power, Equestria. It all doesn’t matter in comparison to this person right in front of me. Her cheek is so soft… I don’t want to wake her, but I can’t help it. Gently pushing some of her hair out of her face, I smile at her. I would be so different without her in my life.

I… don’t want her to ever be out of my life. Gently kissing Sunset’s nose, I pull myself away from our embrace, stepping out of her bed. The room feels cold compared to the warm hug of my girlfriend, making me regret stepping out. Shaking my head, I walk over to the counter, opening the fridge as quietly as I can. Pulling out the carton of eggs, I can hear Sunset beginning to stir in the bed. I was hoping to not wake her until this was done, but I suppose it can’t be helped. She got a long night of sleep as well. I’m glad that I was able to help her.

“Adagio…?” Sunset asks with a groggy voice, her hand searching the empty bed. Her eyes barely open to look around, noticing me standing next to the counter. “What are you… doing?” she asks me with a really quiet tone, rubbing her eyes. Looking at her, I can’t help but feel my heart beat a little faster, happy that she misses me enough to search the bed for me.

“About to cook an omelet. Want one?” I ask her with a chuckle, finding her sleepy face way too adorable. For the past two weeks, I have been seriously questioning myself and wondering what I feel exactly, but looking at her now, I know… I know exactly how I feel. I’m so happy to be here. To be with her. I care about her more than anyone else in the world. I’ve been such a coward. It wouldn’t have been fair of me to say something I didn’t fully mean, but now that I’ve figured myself out… She deserves to hear how I feel.

Sunset sits up in her bed, looking towards me with a slight nod, seemingly surprised that I’m cooking something. “Oh, by the way,” I say while looking down at the pan in my hand, feeling my heart beat even faster. This is the first time I have ever said these words. The weight of three words is so much heavier than I imagined, but… that’s because I truly mean it. “I love you, Sunset.”

Silence follows my words. Nothing but the sounds of the pan accompanies my statement, making my heart almost stop. Looking towards Sunset, time itself almost freezes in place. Tears fall down Sunset’s cheeks, yet a big smile is on her face. The sight of her crying makes me feel conflicted. I don’t know how she feels. I’ve never dealt with something like this before.

“Oh, Adagio,” Sunset states through her tears, crying a bit harder. Quickly, Sunset slides out of bed and embraces me in the tightest hug I’ve ever received. Despite the tears, Sunset’s smile lets me know just how happy she is to hear me say those words. “I love you too, Adagio~”

Author's Note

Thank you so much for reading this story! It was a lot of fun making it~ As I said in the description, this story was made for a contest, but I thoroughly enjoyed coming up with this idea and producing it. Anyway, I hope everyone has a great day! Go outside and have some ice cream or go talk to that one friend you have been meaning to talk to.