Another Year Another Smile

Chapter V: Scintillating Gaze

DISCLAIMER: Please read until the end of the author’s note of this chapter. If you don’t, you will miss out on something important for the series going forward.

What picture is she buying…? The frame is about the size of her hand, but the glare from the glass makes it impossible to see what picture is causing her to smile so much. The way her hand gingerly touches the glass makes it almost irresistible to go over and look at the picture directly. I know this is for my birthday, but… what is it? Is it from our wedding? Or maybe it could be from our trip to find Aria and Sonata. Or even before that…

“Do you see what it is?” I barely ask Apple Bloom, a little embarrassed that I am even asking that. My eyes focus on the frame so much that I almost forget just how weird it is to stare at someone from behind a shelf of photo products.

“Even if I could from this angle, it is so far away that I doubt I would be able to make out what picture it is,” Apple Bloom sarcastically remarks. I choose to ignore her tone, trying to focus on the picture. It’s a foolish attempt however… Within a few seconds, Sunset slips the photo back into the envelope. Everything in my soul wants to know exactly what kind of photo that could make her smile like that…

Sunset’s eyes turn towards us, making Apple Bloom duck behind the shelf. Even though there are some people between us, her eyes instantly connect with mine. A genuine smile greets me, locking me in place. I can't hide even if I want to… My upper lip feels hot as her stare penetrates my soul.

But… her eyes are not happy now. They're suddenly concerned. Her smile is gone and her hand reaches into her bag, pulling out a tissue. Her hand gives the envelope to Twilight, never breaking eye contact with me. Sunset starts walking towards me in that overprotective stride she rarely uses. She has a mission… but what? Why is she coming this way so fast?

Before I can do anything, Sunset grabs my shoulder, bringing the tissue to my face. Her hand holds onto me with the kind of strength that tells me she doesn't want me to move. Her body is close enough to me that no one would be able to see my face except for her. As the tissue touches my upper lip, I see red…

“Hold on, Alligator… It's another nosebleed,” she whispers in a protective tone, but that doesn't explain any of this… Alligator?

“You knew?” I can barely ask, struggling to find any other words to say. The tissue Sunset gently presses on my face is covered in red spots by now. A nosebleed… at this time?

“Of course I did, Adagio.” Her eyes look away from my lip, meeting my gaze. “Only one person looks at me the way you do…”

“How long did you know?” I ask her as she wipes away the rest of the blood. Sunset licks her finger slightly, pressing it on my lip to get rid of any red stain.

“Ever since you stopped outside Twilight’s house. Now shush. Let me take care of you,” she whispers in a teasing, yet still concerned tone. I hear a very audible scoff from our side, averting Sunset's attention. Apple Bloom looks at my wife with a seriously irritated expression.

“Seriously?! We have been running around all day where I tried to distract her and you have to tell her now?” Apple Bloom asserts with a frustrated brow. For some reason, I’m not surprised. With how she was acting, it makes sense that Apple Bloom was working with them.

“Your help has been appreciated, Apple Bloom. You and Twilight can rant about my decision,” Sunset tells her with a dismissive manner. Even though she seems angry, Apple Bloom calms down when she sees just how diligently Sunset is caring for me. It makes me feel a little embarrassed… Sunset looks back at my lip, pressing the tissue to my nose again. “It's okay. No one else can see your nosebleed. Only me,” she whispers as soon as Apple Bloom walks away.

“How did you know I was thinking about that?” I ask quietly, feeling embarrassed but… loved.

“Your cheek is warm. I will make sure no one can see you like this.” Her thumb gently rubs against my cheek as her other hand holds the tissue against my nose. “Have you scheduled that doctor's appointment yet?” The way she asks that sounds like an overprotective partner, ready to scold me if I don't tell her yes, all because she worries for me. I worry for her too…

“Yes, I did. It's for the day after tomorrow,” I respond with a nod, trying to not sound too annoyed. In reality, I’m just grateful to have her attention after the last few weeks… “I'm sorry.”

“I miss you too, Adagio,” she responds with a smile, kissing the tip of my nose. “Do you trust me?”

“Obviously,” I answer instantly, feeling caught off guard by her question. And her kiss…

“Then trust that I have your best intentions at heart for your birthday. Okay? Nothing to hurt you or go past your comfort zone.” The way she looks at me genuinely makes me feel like she's telling the truth. She is telling the truth. There's no reason to doubt that. That same stare makes me feel guilty for this whole day. Yet her loving hands hold my face without any judgment… As if she isn't mad at me. “Good news is that I’m done with my ‘project’ with Twilight. Are you ready to head home?” she asks me while holding the key to her motorcycle.

“I rode here with Apple Bloom. What about Twi-” my sentence is immediately stopped as Sunset locks our lips together. The warmth reminds me of nights long past… Movies flashing across the screen with a blanket shared between the two of us. God, I love her so much…

“Twilight can ride with Apple Bloom. Come on. You have my undivided attention for the rest of the day,” Sunset tells me while rubbing her forehead against my own. Holding my hand, Sunset leads me to the exit of the building. Apple Bloom looks confused, but Twilight just waves us goodbye, the envelope still in her hand.

I guess I will have to wait until tomorrow to see what the picture is…

“You promise I will like this?” My question goes unanswered for a few seconds as Sunset applies some foundation to my face. Her hand gently wipes away an unwanted clump, making sure to evenly apply it. I could have done my makeup myself, but Sunset really wanted to help me. It feels nice in a way.

“I promise, Alligator~ Have I ever steered you wrong before?” she asks with a wink, the bright expression on her face telling me she’s also having fun.

“Yes, many times in fact,” I respond with a half joke. While I trust her with most things, there have been occasions where I should have said no. Like the time she wanted to try a new sushi place in town. It’d be fun, she said. Turns out we got food poisoning… It’s not really surprising that the restaurant went out of business a while ago.

“Shush. You don’t know what you’re talking about. Your migraines are affecting your memory.” Sunset sticks her tongue out at me before closing the makeup case. Looking into the mirror, I smile at the reflection. Not too much, but just enough to make myself appear more awake than I actually am. The light purple eyeshadow is also a nice touch. “As interesting as it was to see you with purple skin, I think I love your natural hue more,” Sunset coos before kissing my hand, my cheeks getting slightly warmer.

“You lovebirds done yet?!” Aria’s voice comes tumbling upstairs, making me roll my eyes. While I have no idea what surprises they have in store, Sunset assured me I would love them and this day wouldn’t be overzealous like I feared. Standing up from my seat, I let Sunset lead the way to the door.

“So, I did invite our friends,” Sunset warns me with a hand in the air, trying to keep me calm. “However, they know this isn’t a big party. They will be arriving later though. Right now, it will just be you, me, Aria, and Sonata. We have something to show you.” Before Sunset leaves our room, I grab her arm. A question lingers on the back of my mind, etched there ever since I found out she has been planning something for my birthday.

“Tell me. Why this birthday in particular? We’ve been together for nearly four years and you respected my wishes before. We only spent the night cuddling before. What changed?” I sincerely ask her. Sunset tilts her head a little, surprised by my inquiry.

“This is the first birthday you have Sonata and Aria back in your life. The first year you have everyone, including me, in your life. Aria and Sonata told me you used to celebrate your birthday a lot back before the Battle of the Bands.” A nervous smile is drawn on her lips, shrugging to herself. “I figured that if you used to love your birthday… maybe I could help you love it again. Maybe I could see that… smile.” Sunset averts her eyes from mine out of embarrassment, but I can’t tear my gaze away. My heart beats faster at the thought that Sunset prioritizes my smile as well, missing it like I miss hers. The sight of her lips beam at the thought of me alone makes me not want to let her down.

“I’m sure I will love it. You were the one who made this happen after all,” I confidently state, the fear of this being overindulgent leaving my mind. Kissing her cheek, I walk ahead of Sunset, descending down the stairs.

“Finally. You could have put on makeup after this. You know, before the others arrive,” Aria mentions with a small shrug. “It’s not like Sonata and I have seen you without makeup hundreds of times before. Nothing like that.”

“Is it wrong that I would want to look nice on my birthday?” I ask her with a raised eyebrow, chuckling to myself.

“There’s the boastful siren I know,” Aria laughs to herself. “I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist celebrating your birthday.” While it’s true that I used to be very conceited and vain, the only reason I’m willing to celebrate in general is due to Sunset basically begging me to let her do this. A couple of arms tightly grip my body from behind, the blue tone making them easy to identify.

“Happy birthday, Adagio!” Sonata exclaims while holding me tightly, almost making it hard to breathe. Sunset looks at Aria with a raised eyebrow, clearly smirking. Oh no…

Aria rolls her eyes before the two of them also hug me, giving me no chance to escape. Thankfully, the embrace ends nearly as fast as it began. Sonata grabs my hand, leading me towards the back door. I quickly look towards Sunset to see if this is where I’m supposed to go. Sunset gives me a nod, giggling a little. As the door opens, Sonata leads me into the bright backyard. The immediate thing that catches my eyes is a large board with a piece of cloth on it. Around it and on top of it are small black cylinders. The same kind that were used to inflate those balloon letters at Twilight’s house. There are also a bunch of small orange flags organized in a circle next to one corner of the house. In the middle, there is a bag of seashells, only adding to the mystery.

“What’s the deal with the seashells?” I ask them with a tilt of my head. Sunset holds my hand, leading me to the area with the orange flags. Sonata and Aria stand beside the board, both of them looking at me with an oddly humorous stare.

“This is my gift to you,” Sunset whispers, her shoulder pressed against my own. No matter how hard I look at it, I can’t understand what this is supposed to be. “You love the ocean and water in general. So, imagine the shore. Imagine the water surrounding you.” Her head leans on my shoulder, rocking us both. In a way, I feel a little moronic for not understanding what she is alluding to. “I figured you could use a little piece of it whenever you feel stressed. A place meant for you.” Sunset reaches into her pocket, pulling out a small piece of paper. An unrefined scribble of a hot tub with seashells around it is scrawled on the paper, a sign stands beside it with the title “Siren Ocean”.

Taking the paper, I can’t help but smile, looking down at the location Sunset picked. While the title of this little place is a little uninspired, it’s a nice thought. It’s interesting to think about the idea of having a small pond dedicated to me for when I need a break.

“It’s perfect,” I thank her, hugging my wife. “However, can we afford that? Do you know how expensive something like that can be?” Sunset’s eyes look a little conflicted, shrugging to herself.

“I know, which is why I have those flags in the ground. It will be… a little while. Until we can get it constructed and all. Sonata is willing to help pay for it, but still.” Sunset holds her hand up as if she is trying to avoid any sadness by adding a caveat to her disappointing news. Her other hand reaches into her purse, pulling out a yellow envelope. I was wondering why she brought her bag out here… “But I do have something else for you as well to tide you over until we can get this built. I hope you like it as much as I do.” The envelope feels coarse, but I can feel the basic outline of the photo inside. Sunset nods at me, encouraging me to open it. With a deep breath, I slip my hand inside, pulling out the framed picture. The picture shows a…

I…

Is this…? She shouldn’t have… I can’t feel myself breathe. My eyes are locked on her, framed in a night. The picture depicts the two of us, taking a selfie during a movie night. A blanket hangs upon our shoulders, a soft blue light illuminates our faces. Sunset’s messy hair hints at the fact that she had been sleeping just a little bit before this picture was taken. Both of us are clearly disheveled, but neither of us could care. It’s one of those moments where nothing matters except for us. It can’t be bigger than my hand, but the moment it captures is as big as the sun.

“I figured you could use a little reminder of what you’re coming home to when you’re at the studio,” Sunset tells me while looking at the picture, bumping me with her hip. “Especially since your office doesn’t have much customization yet. If you want, I could help you decorate. We could even get a picture of us with Sonata and Aria as well.”

“This is perfect,” I whisper in response, leaning my head on her shoulder. The stupidest smile is drawn across my lips, but I can’t seem to get rid of it. “I’d love your help to decorate. This is the perfect first step.” Holding the picture close to my chest, I can feel my heart get warmer from the memory. Sunset’s arm holds me close. Not a word is said, but I can tell she is happy that I love the gift. I finally understand why she was smiling so much at the photography shop. This is a nice picture of a great piece of time.

“Are you two um… done?” Aria asks us, prompting me to look back at the two of them. Aria would usually be annoyed right now, but she seems uncharacteristically nervous. And excited in a way… Her body is jittery, but a small smile tugs at her lips trying to maintain a frown. Breathing in, I nod slowly. Sunset follows me towards the board that Sonata and Aria stand beside.

“So, we thought for a long time about what to do for your birthday. I couldn’t think of a single thing other than to buy you a lot of candy or gold stuff like boots,” Sonata tells us innocently, shrugging her shoulders. “That’s when Aria thought of something really special!”

“I-it wasn’t my idea,” Aria immediately interjects, shaking her head. “You helped inspire the thought. Anyway, we both thought you would enjoy something more meaningful than some physical thing. Especially now that you’re with miss perfect good girl here,” Aria coughs, nodding towards my wife. Without another word, Sonata stomps on a button in the grass. Instantly, all of the letters inflate to spell out a message.

“Happy birthday, Adagio! Best friend ever,” Sunset reads out the words to me as Aria grabs the cloth covering the board. With a dramatic pull, the fabric falls down to the ground, revealing the picture of a brick wall with graffiti. Painted on top of the picture is an intricate logo of pink, orange and blue… Letters spelling out a name…

“The Dazzlings…?” I ask quietly, feeling confused at the thought. “But we aren’t a band anymore. What does this mean? Do you… Does this mean…”

“You own a music studio,” Sonata mentions with a sincere appreciation, beaming in every possible way.

“And we have missed making music. With you,” Aria comments, the same kind of appreciation shining through her face despite how hard she tries to remain grumpy. “If you don’t want to, that’s fine. We just thought-”

Grabbing the two of them, I hug both idiots as hard as I can. My body feels so numb from just how exciting this is. My nerves feel like they’re on fire with ideas. Tears stream down my face, but nothing in the world could make me upset right now. These stupid morons have been with me for so long and now they want to make music together again… It’s… God, I hate sappy stuff sometimes. Even though my other friends will visit later today, I doubt there is anything that could beat these gifts. We have lived under the same roof for months now, but it truly feels like everything is back to normal for this trio…

“Of course I want to. I wouldn’t trade this for the world~”

Author’s Note:

Well, you made it to the end of the story~ What did you think? Has this story been a waste of time? Or has it been an exciting new development for our favorite characters? Now that you’ve read every scene, I’m proud to say that this is the end of Another Year Another Smile. The next story in this series will feature…

Wait…

That’s right.

You haven’t read all of this story.

Have you?

You can’t just skip to the end, you know… You have to read it all. Ignoring the last part isn’t going to help anything in the long run. It might be fun to pretend that this is the end of this installment, but you know the truth.

You haven’t read the most important part…

Hospitals are always so cold. Not the inviting cool sensation that the ocean creates. It is the kind of cold that feels isolating. People fall ill and they get a room in this hell that does everything in its power to make you feel alone in the world. Even in a small office like this one, it feels way too cold. I’m glad I’m here for only a few tests instead of some extended stay. I don’t think I could handle staying here for more than a day. I can’t wait to get out of here. I’m supposed to plan out some songs with the girls. Even though my birthday was just yesterday, I can’t stop thinking about ideas for lyrics. I’m sure Sunset will tell me to slow down and that I have all the time in the world.

I don’t want to slow down though.

That’s what hospitals are good at. They almost make you lose your sense of time, stretching out minutes into hours. Whenever a doctor says they will be right back with your results, they always seem to take far too long. By the time you feel like complaining, you realize it has only been twelve minutes.

I hate hospitals… But Sunset wants me to find out what is causing my migraines. So, I’m forced to wait here. We’ve done multiple tests. The doctor even ordered a MRI, which will surely make this the most expensive check up I’ve ever had. I swear I-

“Sorry for the wait, Ms. Dazzle,” the doctor’s voice breaks me from my thoughts as soon as the door to the office opens. She closes it immediately upon entering the room, sitting down on the revolving stool. “Are you uncomfortable? Is there anything I could do for you?” she asks me, her demeanor seeming rigid. That’s another thing about hospitals I despise. Just how fake and robotic the personnel are…

“I’m fine. Just itching to go home, honestly. My bed calls for me.” My attempt at a joke gets a halfhearted chuckle from the doctor as she finishes scribbling something down in a folder. “Did you get the results back? A clean bill of health, right?” I laugh a little as I stand up from the medical bed, stretching my arms.

“For the most part. There is one thing that I need to discuss with you however.” The doctor holds her hand out towards the bed. “You should sit down.” Immediately, the way she says that simple request freezes my blood. I know that she’s probably just saying that out of procedure, but something feels off… “Ms. Dazzle, you are married, correct? You have a support system?” the doctor asks me with a completely normal voice as if those questions are nothing out of the ordinary. Giving her a small nod, I can feel my heart start beating faster. “That’s good. Everyone should have a support system to rely on when they need it.” The doctor plays with her own hand, seemingly dancing around the issue for a moment.

“Yeah? And? What about it?” I blurt out in an almost accusatory tone. “Why do you want to know that?”

“Ms. Dazzle, I…” The doctor takes a deep breath in, shaking her head quietly. “I am not sure how to say this, but we found something peculiar in your MRI scan.” The doctor takes a moment to compose herself, each second feeling like an eternity to me. “Ms. Dazzle, in your brain, there appears to be… We found a tumor. From the size of it, I’d estimate it has been around for at least a few months. Have you experienced anything aside from the migraines like halluc…”

…

A what…?

“So, apparently Applejack found a major leak under their house,” Sunset tells me from our bathroom, but it is a little difficult to listen. Most of her words seem to go in one ear and out the other. Instead, I focus on the purple scarf resting on my nightstand. The vibrant color still somehow seems bright in this dark room. The only light coming in is from the bathroom where my wife is getting ready for bed. A large comfy bed… “You must be excited to work on some songs with the girls, right?” Sunset asks after mentioning something about Applejack having to fix the leak with some kind of tool. I wasn’t paying attention. And honestly, the news about a leak isn’t exactly important. Not now.

“Kind of,” I respond, my eyes still locked on the scarf. The light suddenly disappears right before I feel the bed jostle around. Sunset must have jumped into bed… Her arms wrap around my stomach tightly, making my heart drop slightly. What is normally a warm embrace now feels like a hollow reminder of words unspoken…

“Only kind of? I could have sworn you cried at the idea of being a band again,” Sunset teases me with that same happy voice I am blessed to hear every day. The voice I am afraid I will have to take away… “Did Aria piss you off again? I can talk some sense into her.”

“They didn’t do anything. I just have a few things to do before I create any songs with them.” Namely, a few certain words need to be said. Sunset holds onto me so tightly. The way she sighs sounds like she is smiling from ear to ear, making this so much harder. “Sunset. We need to talk before you go to sleep.”

“You’re not leaving me, are you?” Sunset asks me in a joking tone. Something as complex as that feels so simple comparatively…

“No? I would never leave you,” I whisper to her, feeling her grip around me tighten even more. “Why would you ever joke about that?”

“You made it sound so serious, Alligator. Whatever it is, I’m willing to listen.” A happy giggle escapes her lips right before she gingerly kisses my cheek. “For a moment there, you made me worried. Whatever it is, I’m sure we can handle it with ease. The last thing I want is to let something get in the way of the many happy memories we have left to make together~”

Many happy memories…

Turning my head, Sunset meets my gaze with a cute little smile, clearly in love with me. The way she giggles reminds me of the times we have spent together and times we have yet to go through. However long or short that may be… It feels impossible to even think about breaking that smile. That hopeful gaze… Her eyes are full of dreams that I am not sure will come to reality. Would it really be so wrong to lie just this once? Give her one more night of blissful ignorance? To stay in this loving embrace for a little while longer until that smile disappears…

Yes. It would…

“About that…”

To Be Continued…

Author’s notes:

I did warn you. In the synopsis for this story, I asked whether or not all of Adagio’s birthday surprises would be good. Aren’t you happy for reading that last part? It wouldn’t feel like a complete story without the final cherry on top. One major plotline for us to follow into this next part of the series. This has been an idea I have had for a while. One that I’ve been conflicted about pursuing, but I hope you all are interested in this plot thread~ The next story in the series will be The Summer Mist. I have not forgotten about Colorful Miles or such. The reason why I am pushing up The Summer Mist is for a special surprise on October 15th, the anniversary of this series as a whole. Look out for the first chapter of The Summer Mist on the 15th~ As always, thank you for reading this far and I will see you all next time!