A New Low, A New High
Chapter X: A New Low, A New High
Good god… everything hurts… Why do I hurt so bad…? Even my arms hurt. It feels like I broke my back and god, my skull… What did I do to cause this much fucking agony? I just want it to end, please… What did I do? What happened? Why can’t I open my damn eyes? And what the hell is that sound? Every second, there’s a loud beep, screeching into my ear. Then again, my ears feel sensitive, so I’m not exactly sure how loud it truly is. God… Just beep beep beep beep. Every fucking second… Why does this hurt so bad…? Why do I hurt so bad…? Please, just let this end… Is there nothing that can at least ease this?
Suddenly, a loud slam echoes in my ears as I hear dozens of footsteps. The damned beeping keeps increasing, going at an incredible rate. What’s going on? Every time I try to open my eyes or mouth, it doesn’t work… I can’t even move my fingers.
“Damn it! She’s convulsing! Get me Nurse Redheart and another IV unit! Someone get a neurosurgeon down here as well! I want to know exactly what’s going on with her!” A man’s voice yells in my ear like one of those damned hospital shows. Wait. Is that what’s-
A large wave of electricity courses through my body in an instant, making me feel like my chest got in a fight with a boxer and lost. My mouth finally opens, but only to let out air. Whatever this is, it’s torture… All this noise, pain, confusion… Please make it sto-
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Black is the color of a raven. At least, that’s what I was told. It’s also the color of the night, unless the magic of the moon illuminates an otherwise dull time, making it a dark blue… Both can be the color of death. Both can be signs of death. We focus so much on the negatives of black and blue and we can only see the potential danger in it all… Once upon a time, I sang under the stars with no fear in my mind. I sang to the top of the world, all with my two friends who were close enough to be my sisters. Now the night heralds a potential threat and it often fills me with dread. I want to feel free in this cool breeze once more, to collect my thoughts in the serenity of the world’s vast and empty realm of the night. Alas, I can’t… I have new limits to my body… and even my voice.
Is it a good change? To be more vulnerable? In some ways, no. It presents a new danger that you have to be aware of at all times. In other ways, I suppose yes. Being more vulnerable is the precise thing that allowed me to find happiness… It allowed me to find a friend and be able to bond with her over a relatively short amount of time. Only a month and a half ago, I was a mess of a siren, lost in the world with no angle to go forward, only spiraling downward in a pit of hate for everyone else. I don’t know how I crawled out of that pit, but I did with the help of her advice. It still rings in my mind every so often, telling me to push forward and know my own worth. The problem with vulnerability? I still don’t know my worth… She keeps telling me I am worthy of friends and a happy life, but I can’t bring myself to believe what she says, especially after everything I’ve done.
Thump…
For a brief moment, I want to turn back and text her to give a heads up, telling her I don’t deserve to ruin her time. Wasting precious moments with a siren…? It’s not a good way to spend your life and she deserves every second she can get. Slowly, I shake my head and put the phone away, staring at the cold concrete again. Walking down this sidewalk just makes me even more antsy, wanting to turn away, but I know this is a good part of the city’s suburbs. There’s a low crime rate here, making it an ideal spot for jogging and walking through the forest. There’s even streetlights around, but it doesn’t help the uneasy feeling in my gut. She wanted to meet at a particular part in the trail so we could go to some clearing she knows about. Maybe it’s another thing Applejack told her about. Every time I look down at the concrete, it just makes me feel even colder, causing me to quickly walk down the trail to find her. I admit, I’m excited to watch the stars with Sunset. It’ll be a nice get away from the stress of everyday life. Besides, I came up with a few nice jokes Sunset would laugh at, so I’m eager to test them out on her.
Walking down the trail, I see Sunset standing under a streetlight with a picnic basket in hand, something I was not aware of. “Hey, Sunset!” I call out with a wave as I jog closer to her. A cold smile came from her lips as always and her blurred over eyes look to me, a wave of her own returning my gesture.
“Hey, Ad####~ How are you?” her voice drones on as usual. I chuckle to her response and grab the basket for her.
“I’m fine, actually. I was really looking forward to watching the stars with you~ Are you alright? You sound like you have a cold,” I say with a smile, trying to comfort her. She nods and hugs me quickly.
“I’m doing well. Come on. The clearing is this way,” she states in the same tone as before, grabbing my hand and pulling me along. I’m glad to get away from the sidewalk and actually enjoy nature, though I do feel odd as I don’t remember the concrete being painted red. Was it that color when I was here last? It probably was, given my horrible memory as of late. Despite my confusion, I walk beside Sunset, happy that we get to hold hands again and that we get to watch the stars. Sunset looks to me again, with her mouth in a frown.
“Is something wrong…?” I ask, worried that maybe I did something to offend her. Simply, she shakes her head and pats my shoulder, warming my heart for a bit longer.
Thump…
She walks us past a clearing and she gently throws the blanket down, covering an area big enough for the two of us to sit. What I thought was a checker pattern turns out to be a dark red instead, before we sit down, the normal silence of the night fills my mind. It’s so peaceful~ No wind blowing, no bugs chirping, no breathing. I sigh happily as I put the basket down and look to Sunset with a smile.
“So, what did you bring?” I ask, pointing to the basket. Her usual serious demeanor is expressed on her face as she just simply opens the basket, revealing a bare interior. “An empty basket? Why did you bring that?” I ask, looking up to Sunset, but my breathing stops as soon as I realize Sunset isn’t anywhere to be seen. “Sunset…?” Come to think of it, everything is off…
Thump…
Why isn’t there any insect chirping? Where’s the sound of the wind? Why is the blanket wet? Looking down, I see the same damn concrete under me. Why is it here?! I’m in the middle of the forest… Why am I behind the bakery…?
Standing up as fast as I can, I look at my hands, covered in the same red paint. Who is painting everything?! Where’s Sunset? Spinning around, I see no one around me. Just cold cars and concrete… The wet paint under me pulls at my feet. Pulls at my feet? What the?
Thump…
I’m dragged into this pool, getting the color red all over me. I try to grab onto the edges of the cyclone, but I can’t pull myself up. The light from above decreasing, making the red darker and darker. I just want to get out! I can’t help but widen my eyes as I hear a voice in my mind, causing me to lose any sort of grip I can get on this paint.
“You don’t deserve to be happy.” What? Who is that?
“You don’t deserve friends.” But… I’ve worked so hard.
“You’re wasting her time.” Sunset’s time? I… I don’t mean to!
“You’re pathetic.” I… I know I am…
The light above me fully fades as I’m encased, leaving me stuck in this black void. The void of death? Please… Help me…
“You don’t deserve her…”
Thump…
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My eyes instantly shoot open and I feel a large breath of air taken in by my lungs instinctively, feeling my surroundings first. What the fuck happened? Why does my whole body hurt? Moving my head hurts and I… I’m in a hospital bed? My eyes dart around faster than I can comprehend the things I see, making me feel dizzier than I need to be. What happened…?
Taking a deep breath, I slowly open my eyes again, scanning the area slowly. The room I’m in seems to be a spacious one, the walls filled with medical supplies and even a jar of lollipops. There’s a balloon to my right that says “Get well soon!” making me feel even more confused about my surroundings. I try to raise my arm to the balloon at first, but my back begins to hurt from the movement for some reason. A heavy sigh falls from my lips and the crescendo of the moment finally fades away, leaving just the confusion left to haunt my thoughts. I close my eyes for a moment and take a deep breath, finally looking for something to call for help. Assistance or something. Anything is better than being alone in this hell. Before I can actually find something, the door opens slowly.
A nurse stands in the doorway, checking a clipboard as her pink hair falls in front of her eye for a moment. Her white hand brushes it out of her face before looking up to me, her eyes widening to see my own stare looking back at her. Instantly, she walks in quickly and looks at all the equipment that seems to be attached to me. “Adagio Dazzle? How are you feeling? Can you hear me?” she asks quickly, before shining a bright light in both of my eyes, causing me to groan in pain. When I can finally see her again, she’s finally seated in a chair beside my bed and I sigh quietly.
When I open my mouth to speak, I can instantly tell my throat is incredibly dry and I can’t help but cough slightly. “D-do you… have water?” I weakly ask, trying to not choke on my own tongue. Instantly, she stands up and pours me a cup of water from a pitcher on the side of the bed, slowly positioning it in my mouth.
“Now it’s not uncommon for nausea and an inability to eat or drink to be a side effect of your injury, Ms. Dazzle. Take it slow,” the nurse says as gently as she can, pouring the contents hesitantly into my mouth. When she believes I have had enough, she slowly takes the cup away and looks directly at me. “Are you alright? Do you need anything else? I am Nurse Redheart and I will provide you anything that you need,” her voice says in a wise tone. Her eyes look at me with a penetrating stare, trying to see if anything else was wrong.
Taking a deep breath, I open my mouth. “What am I doing here…?” My question seems to be one she was expecting since she nods before sitting down again.
“Ms. Dazzle, you had an accident at your place of employment a few days ago. It seems that you were trying to get into the studio you work at and we’re not sure why.” Went to the studio…? Yeah, obviously, I work there. “You were trying to enter the building at around eleven at night. From the samples found at the scene, it seems you slipped on the last step of the staircase, proceeding to fall down all the way…” Her voice hesitates for a moment as if trying to push a memory into the back of her mind. “All the way down to the concrete of the parking lot.” Her eyes look away from her clipboard and back up to me as she tries to smile. “Do you remember any of this?”
Hesitantly, I shake my head. I don’t remember falling down the staircase… I don’t remember going up to the studio that late at night. What was I doing there? “No, I don’t,” I slowly state, looking around the room.
“Ms. Dazzle, I should inform you that you’ve experienced… quite a bit of trauma to the brain. Have you had any previous head injuries before your incident a couple days ago?” she asks me in a worried tone, unsure of what to say. I shake my head slightly, trying to think of a possible injury lately, but before I can think any longer, the nurse stands up and walks to the door, opening it and telling another nurse something. It looked like “Go get her.”, but I can’t be certain. Again, she walks back inside and smiles at me as warmly as she can. “Okay, Ms. Dazzle. What’s the last thing you remember?” she asks me, holding her damn clipboard once more.
“I… I was walking home after hanging out with a friend. She and I were walking on the beach…” I sigh, closing my eyes, trying to remember what happened. What did I do after I walked away from Sunset’s apartment…? Why was I outside of the studio?
“I see. Is there anything else you can recall?” she asks me again.
“No. Just… god damn it. I want to call someone. Where’s my phone?” Looking around the bedside tables, I can’t seem to find it, but Nurse Redheart stands up and puts her hand on my shoulder.
“Ms. Dazzle, I must insist that you rest. A call may not help your condition, but you do have a visitor. Would that help?” she asks me as my eyes widen with confusion. A visitor…? Before I can say anything in return, the door to the room opens, showing another nurse escorting a person into the room. That fiery hair… The warm smile, those cyan eyes that carry so much kindness in them. I can feel a big smile come across my face without thinking when I see Sunset walk into the room. Our eyes connect, making me see the sorrow hidden in her soul. A part of me hates the fact that she’s here… She shouldn’t have to see me like this, but… it also makes me happy that she’s here for me.
Instantly, she walks over to me and takes my hand in hers “Hi, Adagio~ How are you feeling?” she asks me with the same tone she used when I left her apartment last. Even if I tried not to, she can always bring a smile out of me.
By this time, I look at the nurses and ask, “Can we have some privacy for a moment?” as politely as I can. Nurse Redheart seems like she’s going to object at first, but she obliges after Sunset nods to her. When the door closes, I finally look to Sunset and put on the best expression I can. “I feel fine, Sunset. You didn’t need to come here. How are you feeling?” I repeat her question, trying to avoid the truth of the moment, but Sunset simply shakes her head to my statement.
“You’re lying again, Adagio. You’re in a lot of pain, aren’t you?” Slowly, her hand comes up to my head and gently rubs my hair between her fingers. Honestly, it feels really nice… The way her hand gently rubs my head feels like how one would pet an injured animal. If it was anyone else doing this, I would have yelled at them by now, but… with Sunset, it feels endearing. She never tries to demean you or make you feel less special. In fact, the opposite is true… Closing my eyes, I can’t help but smile at this gesture, slowly nodding to her query.
“I’m in… a little pain,” I lie again, hiding every wince I can. Despite the color of her cyan eyes, her gaze feels so warm and kind, making me want to melt. Why do you make me this way, Shimmer? Why do you make me so happy? Your soft hands, your kind smile, your beautiful eyes, your fiery hair… You’re perfect, whether you like to see it or not.
“I figured. But hey, at least you’re still kicking, right?” she asks, breaking me out of my train of thought with a slight pat to my thigh. We both giggle at her action, sharing a few words with each other. No matter where it is, you always seem to make a moment a nice one. After a peaceful silence, I look at the balloon and sigh.
“Do you know who brought this?” I ask, plucking the string of the balloon with my finger. Sunset peacefully giggles to the question, bringing her hand up to her mouth.
“Let’s just say three rascals came in with a whole host of gifts in their wagon, but they could only leave one. They told me to tell you to feel better soon~”
A confused look grips hold of my face for a moment. “Who told them I got hurt…?” For a few seconds, a concerned look appears as she averts my gaze, opting to look at the balloon. Her hands fidget slightly as she holds mine, slowly frowning and letting out a heavy sigh.
“Rainbow is the one who found you… She told Scootaloo and it got to the others. She didn’t know how to describe the feeling, but she felt like she had to go to the studio before bed. She said that maybe she forgot something or maybe there was something she needed to do, but whatever it is, she felt called to go.” Finally, her eyes meet mine again and I can almost swear I see a tear. “She said that when she found you, there was a circle of… Some of it even dried…” Her eyes avert mine again and she gently shakes her head, taking a deep breath and turning back to me. “A-anyway, the doctor told me that you’ve experienced a bit of trauma to your head, so he doesn’t want you to leave the hospital unless you have someone to look after you for a bit. To look for… symptoms of damage. Specifically, to your brain.” Sunset’s warm glow has returned and a hopeful smile comes to her face, bringing her hand to my cheek.
“That’s… great news,” I say slowly, hesitantly responding to the information she’s laid bare. “I… don’t really have anyone who can do that.” I sigh heavily, thinking about how annoying and troublesome it would be to stay here longer than I have to. More medical bills… Huh, I wonder how much I owe them now.
“That’s not true,” Sunset says, grabbing my hand again.
Curious about her statement, I can see there’s clearly an idea behind that beautiful smile of hers. “What’s on your mind, Sunset?” Her hands are warm, gripping onto my hand with a kind look in her ocean-like eyes. For a moment, she doesn’t say anything, opting to just keep our eye contact in this solemn moment.
“Well, I know that… you don’t have anyone like a family member to rely on. I was thinking… I could look after you. The doctor said you should be back to normal after a week or so, assuming there’s no brain damage, so I thought that-”
“No,” is the only word I can let out of my mouth, a hesitant breath coming to my lips. Sunset’s expression turns from hopeful to confused as she tries to find an answer in my face.
“What? What do you mean? I really don’t mind! You’re a great friend of mine and I… sort of feel responsible for this. If we had a sleepover or if I didn’t remind you to get your wallet…” a sorrowful emotion seizes her expressions, letting a tear fall from her eyes onto my hand. Please don’t… Don’t cry over me. You’re too important for that.
“Don’t you dare insinuate that this is your fault,” I say bluntly, coming off colder than I meant to. Sunset’s eyes connect with mine again and a single moment of silence passes between us, not lasting longer than needed. “Sunset, you’re too pure. That’s your problem. You would never hurt someone on purpose and if someone does get hurt? You’re the first one to blame yourself. No one else blames you, it’s just you.” Steadily, I pull my hand away from hers and move it up to her head, gently rubbing her fiery hair and sighing. “Remember your New Year’s Resolution?” I ask quietly, looking at her tearful eyes. Slowly, she nods to my question. “Then be more selfish. For me. Be selfish by not blaming yourself for something that was out of your control.” Sunset’s eyes gently close and she tries her best to nod, resting her head on my lap as we both rest our voices. Her lying head warms my thighs and I try my best to run my fingers along her scalp.
“I’ll only do that if you do something for me…”
Surprised, I ask, “What do you mean?” It seems our gentle moment lasted long enough as Sunset moves her head away from me, slowly standing up and looking down at me, not bothering to wipe her face of her previous tears. A sense of determination is hidden behind her eyes as she looks into mine, having a clear goal in mind and willing to stop at no end to achieve it.
“Let me look after you. It would make me feel much better about the situation and it only takes a signature.” There’s the determined Sunset I know…
A moment passes between us as I sigh, bringing my hand to my forehead and rubbing gently. “Fine, but-”
Quickly, Sunset’s finger comes to my lips and presses down gently, looking into my eyes with the same caring look that she usually has. “No buts~” she says with a smile, before bringing her face closer to mine, laying her lips on my forehead and chuckling. “Now, let’s get you out of here, yeah? We can watch movies at my place again and you can have all the popcorn you like~” she says with a wink, before finally letting go of my hand and walking away from my bed. Her lips felt… so soft… My hand already misses hers and I can’t help but feel ashamed at how my body is reacting. I shouldn’t be so clingy to her just because she’s my one friend… “Stay put, alright? I’ll be back with the paper~” she states kindly before opening the door and walking out.
I would take this moment as a peaceful one if the door shut fully, but unfortunately, it didn’t. A brown hand holds the door before it shuts fully, opening it again to allow the figure to walk in. I can’t help but sigh heavily as I see the suited man walk into my room and close the door. His tie has a dollar sign on it just like usual and his black hair is slicked back, showing his masculine features more clearly. The man chuckles slightly, looking at me with a humorous stare.
“Looks like you’ve gotten yourself into quite the predicament, Adagio Dazzle,” he says, adjusting his cufflinks.
“What do you want, Rich?” I state in a cold and emotionless manner, addressing my old boss. Filthy Rich owns multiple franchises and stores, one of which is the nightclub I worked at. I never expected him to come visit me, especially after I quit, but here he is, looking just as proud as ever.
“My, you haven’t lost that edge, I see,” he jests, slowly walking over and sitting down next to my bed.
“Did I say you could sit?” I ask, looking at him with a negative stare. Rich just laughs it off, adjusting his tie a little.
“Aren’t you in the wrong situation to be making demands?” he states, slowly leaning over to get a better look at me. Unfortunately, I get to look at him better too… “I see you’re in no mood to exchange pleasantries,” he finally says after a moment of pause, taking a cigar out of his coat and lighting it, making that god awful smell permeate the room.
“Get to the point already, Rich. You always have an ulterior motive, so what is it this time?” I sigh, trying to move along with the conversation as fast as possible. Unfortunately, this meeting is already too long. Rich moves over to the door, looking outside the window implemented in it and chuckling to himself.
“That you’re right about, Dazzle. You truly know my style.” For a moment, he doesn’t say another word, before taking another puff of his cigar. “Listen here, Dazzle. I have another deal going on between me and a certain client.” I can already tell where this is going and I don’t like it…
“I told you when I quit, no more deals. I’m not going to do these things for you.”
“Ah, but this one is particularly rewarding. It’s worth ten times the normal amount.”
“What does that matter? I only got one percent of it, so it would be a few more measly dollars,” I say, clearly annoyed at his offer. I told him I was done, but clearly, he didn’t get that memo. A disappointed look comes across his face as he keeps his eyes outside the window.
“That’s the problem, Dazzle. The buyer won’t complete the deal without someone he recognizes, and unfortunately, you were the only one he saw in person.” For a moment, I feel the urge to burst out laughing, but to avoid the pain of the sudden movement and the annoyance of Rich, I decide to hold it back. “I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that it’s ‘funny of Rich to come asking me for a favor,’ right? Well, let’s just say I have something for you if you complete this,” he says, looking over to me with a smirk. “All of your medical bills would be cleared and you wouldn’t have to pay them off yourself. Do this one deal for me and we’ll be even. No more favors,” he states, finally walking back over to me.
“I’m not interested,” I say firmly, keeping my eye contact with him and avoiding the temptation of the offer. He takes another puff of his cigar, gently blowing it in my face and sighing to himself.
“I figured you would say that. So, what if I raise the deal?” he states, looking into my eyes. “That gal you’ve been seeing? Sunset Shimmer? She’s an intern at a mental health clinic, isn’t she?”
“What about it? She’s a friend of mine,” I say defensively, trying to keep her out of this. I can finally call her my friend confidently…
“Well, I assume she wants to go to college and pursue a higher education, so I may be able to get her out of some debt too,” he says with a frown now adorning his face. “Look, Dazzle. This deal will… help my family, so I’m prepared to pay for all your damned medical bills and all of your gal pal’s college tuition. Just take the deal and we can both come out of this happy,” he says with an intense glare, clearly desperate.
A heavy sigh comes out of my lips as I rub my forehead and contemplate the thought. Despite being scummy, Rich is a man of his word… “Fine, but only after I get better,” I say with a hesitant breath. He nods and shakes my hand eagerly.
“You’ve made a fine choice, Dazzle.” For some reason, I feel like I didn’t…
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The cold air gently brushes along my face as we walk down the sidewalk. Well, I should say as one of us walks. Sunset, trying to avoid another icy mishap, practically bullied the hospital personnel into letting us rent out a wheelchair, given my condition. I never asked for her to do that, but she didn’t take no for an answer. Now, she’s pushing the wheelchair along the sidewalk, humming to herself quietly. Her hand gently rubs my head and she sighs comfortably.
“Hey, Adagio?” she asks from behind me, still pushing my chair along. “I’m sorry for making you come along with me. I just… feel like the only person who can help you right now, you know?” Her statement comes off as guilty, but still confident in her approach. I can’t help but feel bad when she keeps apologizing for something she did right. I was stubborn for not accepting at first. Even though it does feel like I’m wasting her time…
“It’s alright, I understand.” Another small moment of silence passes between us before I decide to speak up. “Just don’t feel the need to treat me too specially. I can walk and do things for myself,” I say quietly, shaking my head slightly to my statement.
“I’m going to treat you how I see fit. You’re my friend, Adagio. Why wouldn’t I be there for you?” she asks me slowly. An answer comes to my mind, making me ashamed of thinking something like that. I can’t help but assume she would enjoy this more if it was one of her best friends. Maybe she would joke more or laugh more. I just want her to smile…
“Please… just don’t stress yourself out over me,” I say quietly again, feeling a tear try to form, withholding the urge to cry. Damn it. Just don’t cry again, Adagio… “I just want you to smile.” A few moments pass by in silence as Sunset keeps pushing the wheelchair and I can’t help but feel anxious about what she is going to say.
“I love your smile too, Adagio…” Her statement hits me hard and I can’t help but feel surprised at her answer. My cheeks flush and I want to look back at her, but the pain inhibits me from doing so. “I love hanging out with you and I love talking with you. You’re my friend, Adagio. That’s why I’m doing this,” she says confidently, pushing the wheelchair up onto a new sidewalk path. It probably helps that I don’t weigh much…
“Really…?” I weakly ask, knowing she doesn’t lie to me, but… my mind still isn’t sure if she likes hanging out with me or just the stories I tell. Suddenly, the wheelchair stops in the middle of a non icy part of sidewalk. No one is around to see this, but I try my best to look back at Sunset to see what the problem is. Slowly, she walks around the chair, squatting down in front of me and grabbing my hand. Her eyes once again force our gaze to meet, a small smile appearing on her lips.
“How many times do I have to tell you that you’re my friend? You really are, Adagio~ Of course I love being your friend~”
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Slowly, the door opens before us as Sunset holds me tightly against her body, insisting on carrying me to avoid another accident from occuring. It turns out that her door is too narrow for the wheelchair to fit in without it being folded up first. I could have just walked in on my own, but this momentary warmth feels nice. Sunset quickly sets me down on the couch and goes back to the door to get the wheelchair, letting me grab one of the M&M’s she had in a jar nearby. I usually don’t like chocolate as much as cherries, but it will do for now. Sunset pulls the wheelchair in as gently as she can, locking the door behind us. Honestly, I still don’t really want to be here, but Sunset says I’m not wasting her time, so I will try to accept it for now.
“So, when will Queen Sunset let me walk?” I tease her with a smirk, kicking my legs slightly to show they can still work. Sunset just giggles to my statement, coming over and sitting beside me, instantly grabbing my hand.
“When you heal up a bit more,” she says with a quiet whisper, rubbing my head with her other hand. A small sigh comes out of both of us as we relax into the couch slowly, Sunset finally grabbing the remote to her TV and turning it on. She chuckles quite a bit as she sees the first channel to come on is a children's network. “Do you want to watch Sesame Street?” she asks in a teasing tone. Simply, I shake my head and try to focus on the TV, but it’s hard to focus on a show when my mind is too distracted by our hands. Her hand is always so soft and warm… I would do anything to make sure they stay that way. As she looks at me, our eyes connect and I can’t help but feel that all too familiar sense of happiness, her smile warming my heart so easily.
“Honestly…?” I ask slowly, looking into her cyan eyes. “I would watch anything, as long as I can do it with you,” my mouth says impromptu, not realizing what I let out until it is already done. A slight blush appears on both of our cheeks, Sunset smiling even more to my statement.
“Great~ Guess who bought The Godfather while you were in the hospital? I figured it would be fun for us to watch after you got out~” The gleeful look on her face is simply priceless~
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The popcorn jumps slightly as Sunset laughs at one of the jokes the movie pulls off, our hands intertwined again. I can’t help but smile every time I get to see her own joy, letting us share such a moment. This must have been the third movie night in a row, making us opt for crazier and crazier movies that both of us may not have given a chance on our own, but if I’m watching it with her, I can always have fun. It feels bad that I’m taking advantage of Sunset’s kindness, but this sleepover we’ve had over the past few days makes me wish it will never end. Every new day, I get to experience new things with Sunset, whether they be foods I’ve never tried, movies I’ve never seen or games I haven’t played. It’s a peaceful experience and one I don’t wish to end anytime soon.
Finally, the movie’s credits begin to roll as Sunset stretches, still giggling slightly at the movie’s jokes. Quickly, I bring my fingers to Sunset’s ribs, tickling her with a smirk on my face. “You liked that movie, huh?” I tease, blowing on her neck as Sunset begins giggling and laughing harder.
“S-stop it! You’re making my belly hurt!” she weakly says in-between giggles, trying to catch her breath. Hesitantly, I bring my fingers away from her ribs, still wanting to hear her laugh, but I leave it be for now. Sunset gently wipes the tears away with her finger, still smiling from her previous laughter. Slowly, she stands up and sighs happily, picking up the almost empty popcorn bowl and walking to the kitchen.
“What is it?” I ask curiously, wondering what her sigh meant exactly. A chuckle comes from her as I hear the freezer door open.
“It’s just… nice. These past few days have been the best I’ve had in a long time~” I hear more sounds in the kitchen, such as her handling bowls, making me stand up slowly. “Watching movies with you and playing games with you. It’s all been fun, you know? Sorta like a long sleepover,” she says wishfully, opening an ice cream container and looking at me in the entrance of the kitchen.
“I… know what you mean.” Slowly, I walk over to Sunset and grab one of the two bowls, steadily serving up some of the ice cream. Sunset opens two bottles of cherry and chocolate syrup, pouring them over the two bowls and nodding to herself. Her fiery hair subtly ablaze under the lights and her ocean eyes have a certain sparkle to them. The way she so expertly does things with that same determination she has for everything makes her beautiful to me… She’s… beautiful…? I suppose, in general, yes. Her soft skin, her bright eyes and warm smile… All of it is just a part of this amazing person I call a friend. She’s so generously housed me and taken care of me for these few days with not so much as a penny in return. All I can give is a good time and she seems happy with that. To think that a little more than a month ago, I screamed at this woman, criticizing her for ruining my life and showing up out of the blue. Now, here she is, making every moment a blessed one, making everyday worth living… It’s funny that the last thought I had before I woke up in the hospital was of our picnic trip. Except, it was distorted… God, I really don’t deserve you…
“Adagio?” she says slowly, looking at me with a kind tone in her eyes. “Why are you holding onto my hand?” Slowly, I look over to her right hand that is extended out from her, seeing my hand grabbing hers ever so gently. Instantly, I can feel warmth come to my cheeks and I pull my hand away, trying to avert my gaze.
“I just wanted to make sure you put enough syrup on, that’s all,” I lie, holding my tongue from the true statement lying underneath. Sunset giggles and brings her shoulder next to mine.
“Don’t worry, you alligator~ I’ll put enough of it on there,” she teases, looking back to the ice cream and humming slightly. Alligator… A nickname she’s given me recently due to my reluctant nature of accepting her help. I suppose it’s a cute nickname. As long as she’s the only one who calls me it.
Suddenly, I hear a chime play, signaling that someone is ringing the doorbell. “Could you get that, Adagio? I’ll be there in a second,” she nods to me before I walk out of the kitchen and towards the front door. Opening it slowly, I look outside and see a familiar face, chuckling to myself.
“H-hey there, Adagio~ Sunset told me she was keeping you in this coop,” Rainbow says to me with a nervous look written across her face. I haven’t seen her since the day of my injury, but here she is, awkwardly standing there.
“Hey, Rainbow. How’s it going?” I ask with a smirk, slowly gesturing for her to come in.
“N-no! I-I mean, I would rather stay out here, if that’s okay,” she says, looking away from me and towards her tennis shoes instead. Stepping outside and closing the door behind me, I look at Rainbow and gently pat her shoulder.
“Don’t you want to see Sunset?” I ask carefully, seeing how antsy she’s acting.
“N-not really. I actually came to see you, believe it or not.” Taking a deep breath, she finally makes eye contact with me again, a couple tears welling up in her eyes. “L-look. I’m not good with apologies. I always mess them up and it’s hard for me to admit I’m wrong, but… I’m sorry I didn’t come visit you earlier,” she says apprehensively, trying to not let anything out more than absolutely necessary. “I came to make sure you’re doing alright. You know, since the… last time I saw you…” Rainbow instantly looks away from me again, focusing on the brick architecture of the apartments nearby.
“Hey, you don’t have to apologize. I can understand that seeing me in a pool of-”
“No! I do have to apologize! I just… I was so scared you would maybe look worse than how I found you… I… I wasn’t even sure if you would make it,” Rainbow weakly says, tears fully streaming from her eyes. Suddenly, Rainbow Dash uncharacteristically hugs me and sighs, a couple sobs let out in the heat of the moment. “I-I never saw someone close to… someone like that… And you’re a good coworker, honestly. I have fun with our shitty convos, making fun of each other and other things. You still owe me a rematch in bowling…” Her hug hurts my back quite a bit, but I decide to not mention it, opting to return her hug and chuckle to myself.
“Thank you. For worrying about me. Thank you for finding me and telling me all of this. I promise I’ll be back at work shortly and then we can get back to shit talking Ahuizots or whatever he is. The Daring Do villain.” Rainbow Dash laughs a bit at my statement, breaking our hug and wiping a tear from her eye.
“His name is Ahuizotl, but nice try. At least you’re listening when I talk to you.” Rainbow Dash gives me a wink before taking a step off of the small porch area, confusing me slightly.
“You’re not going to say hi to Sunset?” I ask bringing my hand to the door as a gesture.
“Nah, I know how much this time means to you guys, especially since Sunset cried the hardest and all.” Before taking a deep breath, Rainbow turns back to look at me and gives me a thumbs up. “Just have a fun time, okay? I think you both need it~” The confident exterior she usually has comes back to her and she strikes a pose before daring to leave. “Or should I say stay awesome?” With that, Rainbow once again becomes a blur and rushes away, not to be seen again for who knows how long. I can’t help but chuckle to myself before opening the front door. Rainbow’s a weird girl.
===================================
My eyes shoot open, breathing in and out heavily and looking around the dark bedroom quickly while my arms search the bed I’m in. For a moment, I can’t tell where I am, but with the limited light, I finally see that I’m in Sunset’s bed. I never wanted to take up her bed, but Sunset insisted the first day she brought me to her apartment that I sleep here. She does have a nice bed, but I would have just slept on the couch if I had the choice. Sunset’s too important for me to take up everything of hers like that. Especially these past six days… I’m almost fully healed. At least, it seems that way. Our time together will soon be cut short. Possibly after tomorrow… I take a deep breath and look at the clock to my right to see that it’s four in the morning.
Quickly, the door to the bedroom opens and a bright light is aimed inside from a phone. “Gah-” I yelp, trying to hold my eyes with my hands and avoid the bright light.
“I’m sorry! Are you alright?” Sunset asks before turning the light off. “I heard some noises in here and I was worried.” Walking over quickly, the bed shifts slightly as she sits down next to me. Gently, she brings her hand to my cheek and forces me to look at her. Even in this dark room, I can tell how beautiful her eyes are… “Is everything alright?”
Slowly, I sigh and avert my gaze slightly, taking a deep breath. “I… It was just a nightmare,” I let out slowly, trying to be independent in my tone. I’ve been having nightmares… almost every night. All of them are close to the same one I had before waking up in the hospital. Thankfully, it hasn’t been every single night, but it still sucks. Though, I know the nightmares are right…
Sunset’s hand touches my cheek gently while her other hand reassuringly rubs my shoulder. She shushes me gently and presses our foreheads together, humming slightly. “It was just a nightmare, Adagio~ Everything’s alright now. I’ll get you more ice cream in the morning, how about that?” she asks with a cheeky smirk and chuckling to herself. “Would you like to talk about it?”
For a moment, I consider telling her the contents of my dreams, but I decide against it, since they’re mostly about our friendship. Friendship… Slowly, I lean over and hug Sunset instinctively, leaning my head on her chest and sighing slightly. Sunset seems surprised by this, but she slowly wraps her arms around me. At least, I think she’s accepted this…? I could just be selfish and assume she wants this too, but I can never be sure… Sunset’s hand strokes my scalp tenderly like she did at the hospital, breathing in and out. From this angle, I can hear her heartbeat ever so steadily. We must have stayed in this position for an eternity, but is it wrong for me to wish for an eternity more? Closing my eyes and breathing in sync with Sunset, I can’t help but feel relaxed and at ease once more.
===============================================
Hurriedly, I pull my boots on, thinking about today’s events. Looking at the clock, I smile to myself and grab my coat, looking to Sunset in a similar rush to mine, but she looks confused about the hurry. “What are we doing, Adagio?” she asks with a giggle. All I told her about when I woke her up is that I had someplace I wanted to go with her today. I didn’t mention where it is or what it is.
I can’t help but chuckle to myself as I stand up and grab a couple Poptarts for both of us, handing one to Sunset. “You may want to eat this before we get there, it’s going to be a long walk,” I say with a wink, grabbing my phone and purse before looking at the front door. If today is the last day of our sleepover, I want to make it the best I can by going to the amusement park and riding a bunch of rides with her. Then we can maybe watch another movie tonight and play another game of charades. Shaking my head, I see that Sunset is finally ready after I woke her up in a hurry. I can’t help but chuckle at the sight, opening the door for both of us. “Ladies first~”
Sunset just laughs at my comment, patting my head slowly as she exits the door. “I assure you that I’m no more a lady than you are,” she states with a smile. “But, in that sense, I suppose we’re both ladies, huh?” A wink is given to me as I blush at her insinuation that I’m one too, but I try my best to shake it off, locking the door behind us. My hand reaches into Sunset’s purse, putting the keys back inside and I proceed to grab her hand, walking us down the sidewalk away from her apartment complex. Actually, I think this is the first time I’ve ever initiated our hand holding…
“Are you ready to have a fun day?” I ask her with a sense of confidence and energy behind my smile. Sunset nods and giggles at the atmosphere.
“I still don’t know where we’re going though.” Her cute laugh continues for a couple moments as I quickly walk us further away from her apartment, smiling the whole time.
“You’ll see soon enough~”
==========================================
I can’t help but chuckle to myself as we reach a certain corner on the sidewalk. Now it should be a straight walk to Equestria World, the amusement park that I have never gone to personally, but Sunset told me quite a bit about. I studied the map numerous times before waking Sunset up, but I still feel a little insecure that maybe I took a wrong turn. Sunset, who has held my hand the entire time, notices our turn and seems slightly confused.
“Huh, we’re going away from the coffee shop, the bowling alley, Garden Hooves Park and even the beach. I wonder what new place we get to go today~” Sunset hums as I shake my head, a smile emerging on my lips. From here, I could see the entrance of Equestria World past some buildings and so could Sunset. “Could it be that we’re going to the amusement park?” Sunset asks in fake wonder, giggling to herself. “Though seriously, is that where we’re going? I don’t know any other place around here that would interest you.” Sunset’s eyes are filled with wonder and curiosity before I reluctantly nod, giggling to myself and gripping her hand a bit tighter.
“Yeah, that’s where we’re going. I thought that… Well, before my accident, I finally saved up enough money to hangout somewhere and I thought it would be nice if we could go to the amusement park.” Averting my gaze to the entrance of Equestria World, I rub the back of my head gently and chuckle. “I think I’m healed up enough to handle some rides and such~ My back still hurts slightly, but I’m feeling much better than a week ago.” I nervously scratch my head and look to Sunset, trying to detect what her reaction is to this proposal. Thankfully, she looks happy about the arrangement, nodding and looking ahead of herself.
“I think that sounds like a wonderful idea~” she states confidently before chuckling to herself. “As long as you promise to have fun as well~ That means you have to suggest some of the rides we go on.” Her statement confuses me at first and I can’t help but stare at her awkwardly.
“What?”
“You have a tendency to sacrifice your own enjoyment as long as I have fun, you know.” Sunset bumps my shoulder slightly to get the point across, making us both giggle.
“I pinkie promise~”
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Very nice
awwwww!
11119871
Thank you so much for the comment~ I'm glad you liked the chapter~
11122292
I assume you loved it then~? Thank you for the comment~ It really makes me feel better~
the sundagio scenes, all the fluf and romance, god kiss already you useless saphiccs
But that scene in the hospital with Rich.....our girl can't relax and have a peaceful life, can she?
Exited to continue this story later, this has been the best fic I have read in a while in fim
11294478
If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is a saphicc? I'm not sure. XD 
You'll just have to keep reading if you want to see where it goes~
I'm glad my fic is making you feel so many things and that you're having a great time reading it~
And no, it doesn't seem our girl can catch a break, now does it~?
Thank you so much! It really means a lot to hear that~ This website has a LOT of good stories, so hearing that my story is one of the best you've read is definitely a compliment~ Thank you so much and I hope you keep reading~
11294852
oh sapphic is a woman who likes women, but not necessary only women, for example, a lesbian is sapphic because she likes girls, bisexual or pansexual women are also sapphics because they like girls too. So I used that word because Sunset is canon bi, so I couldn't say useless lesbians, because sunset isn't one
I happily will continue to read this fic
I have been trying for while to find a good sundagio fic, but those didn't interest me enough, or I didn't like too much their writing of dagi, but I love a lot your writing with adagio and well in overall with all the fic 
11295358
Ah, I didn't know that word! I just say useless lesbians all the time in reference to my Sundagio stories since I sorta see them like that and I never knew about this word~ And now that I think about it, you're right that Sunset is bi. I completely forgot about something like that. May want to use that in the future then~
Thanks for the compliments~ I really do try to write Adagio in an interesting way and really dive deep into her mindset and explore this character~ Initially, I only started writing Sundagio to try and improve my writing skills since I never wrote a ship like this before, but now I'm completely obsessed with them~ Hence what happens if you slip in the Sundagio pool of madness~
Oh my god! Poor Adagio!
See Adagio, accepting help isn't that bad. Especially if it's from someone who cares about you.
I hope she doesn't regret this later.
I mean, Sunset's only 1 of 4 friends she has atm.
Why alligator though?
Doesn't she mean closing the front door?
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Seeing you go from hating Adagio to being sad for her in this story is exactly what I wanted to see XD I'm glad you're enjoying this story so far~
Also, I meant opening the front door since Adagio originally closes it to stand outside with Rainbow Dash. She's opening it again to go back inside~