Adagio hung her head in shame. The tears had long since stopped, but the burning in her eyes persisted, the act itself leaving her hollow inside. All this human nonsense, these silly concepts of friendship, intimacy, compassion, love… It all felt like drinking poison. In a way, she used to drink the poison all the time; It used to fill her with power and elation, but now it just made her want to regurgitate the bile. She had never wanted so badly to just shut down- stop having to endure another day, to just disappear!

‘At least then I wouldn't have to see that look in Trixie's eyes! What is wrong with me? How did I let it get this far? Why didn’t I tell her before she fell in love with me?’

But as much as she wished she had given Trixie an excuse to leave her before she became lovestruck, there was a twinge of something inside her siren heart. She enjoyed being with Trixie and felt alive when they kissed! She couldn't have stopped herself from falling for Trixie if she had tried! She herself was under Trixie's spell, wooed by her adorable charms and her extravagance.

While she was on the couch wallowing in her heartache, the door to the van opened, Sonata bringing in a full bag of footlong sandwiches from work. “Jeez, are you still crying over Trixie? It's been three freakin’ days!”

Adagio weakly barked, “Leave me alone, Sonata!” She didn't have the strength to deal with Sonata being a bitch to her about stupid monkey shit.

Sonata sighed, placing the bag on the counter and sitting down on the couch, lifting Adagio’s legs to sit at her feet. Looking straight ahead, Sonata took a deep breath before she spoke, “I’d say ‘told ya so’, but I can’t just let you rot like this…” She reached into the bag and handed her a wrapped sandwich with a yellow sticker on it. “Someone followed me home, by the way; Said she wanted to see you for herself.”

Only when she accepted the sandwich from her sister did Adagio notice that there were one too many footlongs for just the three sisters. But the mystery was soon solved as Adagio heard a familiar voice that made every neuron she had light up with anger!

“Heyyy Adagio.” Sunset Shimmer said sheepishly from the open door of the van.

As Adagio shifted to sit up, she felt Sonata wrap a hand around her arm. “Calm down, Dagi; She paid for dinner in return for a favor...”

“When I saw Sonata at her work, we got to talking, she told me how you've been doing, and I promised to try to fix the mess I made.”

Sonata explained, “I told her if she paid for some food for us, she could tag along and get one chance to talk to you.”

“I did buy a second veggie patty sandwich for myself as well…” Sonata looked as impassive as ever as she handed Sunset a sandwich with an orange sticker. Sunset sheepishly added, “I, uhh, got hungry again after the chat we had on her lunch.”

Unwrapping the sandwich with a blue sticker, Sonata begrudgingly said, “Thanks for paying for the food, or whatever.”

Never taking her eyes off of Sunset, Adagio begrudgingly took the sandwich that was offered- though she refrained from unwrapping it- Seeing Sunset Shimmer here had thoroughly killed her appetite. “Why are you here, Sunset?” Adagio’s tone was tight and venomous as she stared her enemy down.

Sunset was already mid-bite when Adagio had asked, looking up as she awkwardly finished chewing and went on. “I… Wanted to see you for myself, I guess.”

Adagio’s brow rose exactly one inch as she gestured to the door. “Well, you’ve seen me. I don’t want to see you, so you’re welcome to leave.” There was a flash of offense in Sunset’s expression before it softened into a shameful, guilty frown.

“I guess I deserve the cold treatment… You don’t have any reason to be friendly with me. But Trixie, she told me you had changed, and I figured, y’know, I should come and see if she was right? And now that we're face to face, unicorn to siren…” Sunset’s voice climbed higher in pitch as she rambled on, clearly unsure of where she was taking this. After another minute under Adagio’s chilling gaze, she folded. “I see how much I misjudged you. And… I’m sorry.”

“You’re sorry?” Adagio repeated incredulously.

“Yes. You didn’t exactly come begging for forgiveness, so I found it hard to believe you weren’t up to something, but now… I can tell it’s the real deal.”

Having to see Sunset Shimmer again had already made Adagio sick, but Sunset’s pity made her want to hurl. “Let’s get one thing straight, Shimmer. I’m not your friend, and I’m not interested in being your friend-- you or any other Rainboom. It’s not your forgiveness I care about, it’s Trixie’s.”

Sunset looked at the floor, dejected. “Yeah… I expected that…” Sunset trailed off. When she looked up again she wore a look of determination. “But, I can’t just sit back after I helped ruin a friendship! Please, let me help you patch things up!”

Adagio kept her glare up for another minute before letting out a sigh and relenting. “Fine. I’ll let you fix this mess you made.” Adagio declared, to Sunset’s relief, finally beginning to unwrap her sandwich. “So, Miss ‘Friendship Expert,’ what’s your plan to get Trixie and I back together?”

With a smirk, Sunset wiped a bit of sauce from her chin and fished out her phone, swiftly unlocking it. “The one thing that always works: Open and honest communication.”

Adagio and Sonata both rolled their eyes.

******

The Sad and Depressive Trixie sat in her desolate room. No lights, no music, just her misery keeping her company. Her guitar lay forgotten on her bed, along with a few sheets of scribbled out chord progressions and erased lyrics. She had long given up on trying to distract herself with music, opting instead to slump over her desk, mindlessly rifling through a deck of cards.

More than just part of her act, magic had always been Trixie’s great escape. The tedium and repetition of mastering a trick, the intricate subtleties of sleight of hand, it was usually enough to carry Trixie’s attention away from whatever troubled her. Yet now the cards and coins failed to take her mind away from Adagio. Deciding to go through the trick again, Trixie mused that she was right back where she was a little over a week ago… The bright flame Adagio rekindled had burned out once again; The star within her dimmed and cooled once more.

Trixie sat up again with a huff, scowling at the deck of cards in hand as she decided to run through the trick one more time. Deep breath, she pulled a “random” card from the deck-- which she had already chosen, of course-- confirming it as the Three of Spades before inserting it back into the deck. A real shuffle, some bullshitting for the audience, a false shuffle, a little more bullshit, and the card should have “jumped” to the top. After another breath, Trixie gently took the top card and flipped it.

She froze as the Ace of Hearts stared her down, taunting her.

The coincidence was magical on its own, even if the failed trick wouldn’t have impressed anyone else. Trixie stared blankly at the lone heart, silently wondering what the universe was trying to tell her with this card. Groaning, Trixie folded her arms up on the desk and laid her head down, finally resigned to address her feelings.

She missed Adagio. That cunning, manipulative, deceitful, charming, talented, beautiful snake.

She wondered when, exactly, she had fallen so hard for Adagio. Was it at the Aquarium, when Adagio bared her soul to her? Or when they shared their first kiss in this very room? During their first lessons perhaps, when Adagio showed such interest in her magic and helped with her guitar-playing? Or was it all the way back during the Musical Showcase, when Adagio had first sung those beautiful, terrible words to her that had driven her to cheat and hurt?

All the memories felt so different to Trixie, despite being spent with the same person. Who was the real Adagio? The confident, conniving siren that had sent CHS spiraling into chaos, or the sullen, introspective girl she had seen amongst the calm water of the aquarium?

A loud buzz from behind her broke Trixie out of her reverie. Spinning around she reached for her phone, but immediately groaned again as she saw Sunset’s name. Throwing her phone out the window was highly tempting right now, but Trixie decided to humor her.

“I’m sorry. Can we talk? Please?”

“What do u want?”

“I’m sorry about the other day. I shouldn’t have tricked you and cornered you like that. What you and Adagio were doing wasn’t my business and I shouldn’t have gotten involved.”

‘Nice of you to realize. Tell me something I don’t know.’ Trixie thought, rolling her eyes and tapping out her reply.

“Yea well 2 late for that now. Thanks sunset”

“I don’t think it is. I just talked to Adagio, and now I truly believe she wasn’t just manipulating you. She wants to see you, and I think you should talk to her.”

Trixie’s brow furrowed as she read on. Yet again, it felt like Sunset was simply telling Trixie what she already knew. Trixie looked away from the phone and back to the Ace of Hearts sitting on her desk.

It was true that Adagio had cheated and manipulated Trixie before, and she didn’t even need to use her magic to do it. That much was painfully clear. It was also true that she loved Adagio and all the moments they had shared together were genuine. Was she really going to let past sins ruin the best thing to happen to her in years?

In a burst of inspiration, Trixie snatched up the Ace of Hearts and slipped it into her phone case, tapping out her final text to Sunset as she slipped on her shoes and rushed to her bike.

“Where?”

*****

Trixie came to a stop on the edge of a small, wooded park, not too far from her house. It wasn’t a hard ride on her bike, yet her heart was still beating hard. Her eyes were fixed on a great, burning ball of hair, sitting on a bench overlooking the duck filled pond.

Trixie leaned her bike against a rail and chained it up, taking a deep breath as she started walking to Adagio. Another splash of red and orange caught her eye in the bushes nearby and she rolled her eyes, silently groaning.

Adagio glanced up at Trixie as she approached, taking a deep breath as she sat down next to her. “Hey.” Adagio greeted, staring at the ground.

“Hey... I have a new trick I’ve been working on. Wanna see?” Trixie smirked, pulling a deck of cards from her pocket.

Caught off guard, Adagio looked at Trixie curiously at the suggestion. “Umm, sure!”

“Just say ‘stop.’” She said as she began to riffle through the deck.

“Stop.” Adagio commanded, and Trixie stopped, cutting the deck where she had been holding it.

“Now, take the top card and look at it, Don’t let Trixie see it! And put it in your coat pocket.” Adagio did as she was told and Trixie leaned back, placing the deck back into one of her secret pockets. After a moment of peaceful quiet she tilted her head towards the bushes. “Did you know you have a stalker?”

Adagio scoffed. “Ugh, I told her not to be a creep, but she insisted on seeing how things went.”

Trixie rolled her eyes again, choosing to ignore the intrusive audience and focusing back on the trick at hand. “What was your card?”

“Ace of Hearts.”

Trixie feigned surprise. “Really? That can’t be right…”

Adagio raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”

Pulling out her phone, clad in its clear case, Trixie showed the back of it to Adagio. “Because that’s Trixie’s card!”

Adagio gave an amused huff. “Heh, impressive.”

“Don’t applaud yet, that’s not the trick.” Trixie pulled the card from her phone case and handed it to Adagio. “Hold on to this, put it in your coat pocket.”

Pocketing the cards, Adagio gave a heavy sigh, “Trixie, we can't just ignore what happened the other day.”

Trixie nodded resolutely. “You're right. I'm sorry for running away.”

Adagio looked shocked, “What? No! I'm the one who has to apologize! I used you for my own ends during the--”

“What happened back then doesn't matter anymore. It has no bearing on our relationship, right?”

“Well, yes, but I--”

Trixie was determined. “What’s happened has happened. It was a silly contest anyway. What we have now, the dates we went on, they matter more than winning.”

“And the manipulation? I used you.”

“Are you doing it now?” Careful not to sound accusatory, Trixie studied Adagio’s reaction.

“Wh– No! Trixie I–!”

“Then Trixie forgives you.”

Adagio blinked and asked incredulously, “Just like that? But what I am…”

“You're the first girl I ever truly loved. That’s what matters to me!”

Adagio clearly didn't know what to say as tears welled in her eyes. She looked like she wanted to argue, but she was clearly conflicted by Trixie's understanding.

Trixie scooted closer and pulled Adagio into a tight hug, arms wrapped around her waist. With a small gasp, Adagio nuzzled the nape of Trixie’s neck, making Trixie let out a small noise of contentment. While she cried into Trixie’s neck and shoulder, Trixie rubbed her hands up and down her girlfriend’s side.

“Thank you.” Whispered Adagio, voice shaking.

Trixie planted a kiss on Adagio’s cheek as she pulled back, reaching up to wipe tears off her face before scooting away dramatically.

“Now, be amazed as with a snap, the Great and Powerful Trixie brings two lonely hearts together!” Trixie gave her fingers a loud snap before pointing down. “Check your pocket.”

Adagio scrunched her face in confusion as she reached in and pulled out a single card instead of two, looking amazed as she showed the Two of Hearts to Trixie. “Wha–?”

Trixie cut her off by leaning in for a kiss, pressing her lips against Adagio’s. The card was soon forgotten in favor of their embrace.

Deep inside of her, Trixie felt her chest ignite as a star shined bright inside her.

Author's Note

Writing this fic felt like trying to shove a 50,000 word story into 15,000 As much as I would have loved to carry this out over, like, 50 chapters, with lots of inner monologues and developed side characters, I had a word limit to try and fit within... Nonetheless, I hoped you enjoyed

I have some more projects I'm banging my head against, I hope you'll check them out, too

Also, Trixie's magic trick at the end is totally legit, you could perform it irl. You saw part of her initial prep with the card in the phone case, see if you can figure out how she did the rest