>Well... That was a hell of a night
>You're still pissed at Aria, but she didn't occupy too much of your mind
>No, you were focused on Anon
>You needed to win him back at all costs
>That would be doable
>Maybe...
>Fear flitted through your mind like a shiver
>He wouldn't tell people about your, well, not so little secret
>Would he?
>Even if your heart harbored a love for him, such betrayal would be no good
>You'd have to destroy him then
>But as for now, you only cared to destroy others who'd vie for his heart!
>To be with Anon
>That's what you would do
>Gem or no gem, you could still be persuasive
>A smile crept upon your face
>"Adagio! We're gonna be late! Are you gonna come or what?!"
"Quiet Sonata! I'm plotting here, can't you see?"
>"Oh, sorry. But still, like, we have to go."
"Fine, fine. Let me get ready and we'll head out."
>Sonata gave you two thumbs up and then started dancing to an invisible tune
>Aria was quiet today
>Good
>You cackle to yourself as you put on your backpack
>Oh, that laugh felt good
>Yes, you still had it

>You spotted Anon by his locker as you entered the school
>He spotted you as well
>The look of revulsion on his face hurt
>You wouldn't approach him yet
>Lunch would work
>And so you bide time 
>The inane jabberings of your "teachers" flew past you as the first few classes went on
>You'd heard it all before
>Hell, you were one of the first to hear it
>Cartesian this or that
>You chuckle at the memory it brings up
>That Frenchman was one of the few who didn't care about the way you were
>The horny fuck
>"Now, because of the way we're plotting the—"
>The lunch bell rings
>"Whoop. Okay class, make sure to read up blah blah blah," you didn't care what he was saying
>You make your way to the cafeteria at a mild pace
>Anon was sitting at the same spot he always did
>By himself, being the new guy
"Mind if I sit here?"
>"Yes, actually."
>You sit down anyways
>Anon turns away from you and shudders
"Look, about last night—"
>"We never speak of last night again."
"If we're going to date, then we have to talk about these things."
>"I don't date people with..." his voice becomes a whisper, "...penises. Okay?"
>You cross your arms
"Like you didn't love every second of last night."
>"Up until the dick part, maybe!"
>You growl
>Usually, you'd just let relationships slip past, but not this time

"Just give us a chance, okay. It felt good for the both of us. I know you've been wanting to go out with me. You're really going to let one little thing get between us?"
>He buries his face in his hands
>You watch Anon as he sits there silently, until finally he looks up at you
>"Ugh, I just can't, Adagio... Not knowing about..."
>He shakes his head
>"I feel like I'm being nicer here than most guys would, okay? So let's just leave it at 'no.'"
>Fuck that
>You didn't want to have to do this
"Fine. You're embarrassed. Grossed out. Whatever. But if you don't continue going out with me, you'll find yourself a lot more embarrassed."
>Anon looks at you with disbelief
>"Are you serious? Blackmail? You'll get just as hurt over your 'secret' getting out as me."
"I don't care. I can handle it. I've been alive for over a thousand years. I can handle a few years of insults."
>"Not to mention you're crazy..."
>You shrug, looking into Anon's eyes pleadingly
"Just give me a chance, Anon."
>He sighs
>"Only because you're threatening me. Don't think I'll enjoy this. Shitty thing to do, Adagio. I'm fine with still being friends."
>Being friends
>No need to get angry over the comment
"I'll show you why you should stick with me, Anon. I've got more than most girls."
>"Like a penis..." he mutters
"What was that?"
>Your voice his a venomous hiss
>"Nothing, nothing! I believe you, sheesh."
>Excellent
>You'll win him over, no problems—
"Why is that rainbow freak heading over here?"
>"Oh God..."

>"Sup losers."
>Anon shirks from the multicolored jock
>"What do you want, Rainbow Dash?"
>"Why'd you blow me off last night?"
>What?
>Anon shrugs
>"I was... Hanging out with Adagio."
>Rainbow turns her head to you, then laughs
>"Not doing any favors with yourself, Anon. Anyways, gonna take me up on th—"
>"Oh my God, for the last time, I don't want to join your band, or join the soccer team."
>"Fine, whatever, not like I care. See you two losers later. Well, not you," she says, pointing at you.
>She leaves and heads on back to that table with the five other worst humans in existence
>You clenched your fist in anger as the memory of that day surged back
>Not to mention, apparently Anon knows her too!
"So, mind explaining why she thought you were going to join her band?"
>Anon groans
>"I give her one compliment and now she thinks I'm some groupie that wants to just follow her around everywhere."
>You squint at Anon
"You better be telling the truth. Because if I ever catch you with her, or any of the Rainbooms..."
>"Yeah yeah, whatever..."
>He frowns, looking down at his tray
"What's wrong?"
>"Oh, I don't know, I'm being fucking blackmailed into a relationship I don't want to be in. Like I said before, we can just—"
"Finish that sentence. I dare you, Anon. I'd like to see you finish that sentence."
>You punctuate your sentence with a low growl
>Anon continues to frown
"I'll meet you after school, and we can go on just a normal date, and you'll see that this will be a good thing."
>"Sure."
>There's that word again

>Anon didn't seem particularly happy, but at least he was here with you
>He wouldn't hold hands with you
>But, just being with him made you happier
>A warm, fuzzy feeling on the inside
>So cliche, but true in this case
>Dinner and a movie...
>You'd really have to prove yourself to him
>Easy enough, right?
>Place was a tad fancy, but with centuries of saving the price wasn't too bad
>"I've never been here before... I don't know what to get."
"Don't worry about it."
>A waiter comes up to your table
>"How can i help you two today?"
>Anon opens his mouth to speak
"The two of us will be getting the oysters, please."
>The waiter nods and walks off
>"Oysters? C'mon."
"Aphrodi—"
>"I know," he says deadpan. "Are you at least going to let me pay?"
"If you really want to, but I'd feel compelled to pay you back somehow..."
>You shoot him a sultry smile
>Anon coughs, then gulps
>That was a good sign
>For a while, the two of you sat in relative silent
>Then Anon spoke
>"Why me?"
"What do you mean?"
>"I mean, why all this? Blackmailing me? To date me? I'm just me, Anon. I'm nothing special."

>Why him?
>You smile, placing a hand on his
"I was in a very low place before you came... You showed me kindness. 'Friendship'," the word felt dirty in your mouth. "It's not something I've experienced much of. Genuinely, at least. I developed feelings for you. Is that so wrong?"
>"No... I don't know. I felt the same way I guess, but the situation is really straining my, uh, opinion of you."
>A frown creeps across your face
"Please, just give me a chance tonight. Just try and think of me as... me."
>Anon gives you a half-smile
"Looks like the foods here."
>A plate of oysters is set down in the center of the table
>You looked Anon in the eyes, biting your lip
>Honestly, you just liked oysters, aphrodisiac or not
>And if Anon didn't like 'em, well, he'd learn to
>You wouldn't let your boyfriend have bad taste
>"Huh, these are actually pretty good."
"That's why I ordered them."
>He eyes you with incredulity
"Okay, part of why I ordered them."
>Anon chuckles
>It's not long before you've both had your fill
>For a while, the two of you talk, well past having paid the tab
>About school
>About things that annoy you
>About the shows you were following
>The kinds of things you usually talked about when hanging out
>Only, this time, things could go a little further than 'shooting the shit with a friend'
>They did last time, so why not again?
>Anon seemed to be enjoying himself
>"Oh shit, we're going to miss the movie. We gotta go."

>The two of you rush to the theater, turn in your tickets, and buy some popcorn
>Theater #11, that's where you had to do
>Not many people in here
>Wouldn't expect many to be coming to see a horror film in its 4th week
>You nod your head towards the back of the theater
>Anon hesitates
>"I usually, uh, like the middle..."
"Oh, c'mon. This is a date."
>"No funny business."
>You cross your heart
>Little did he know, you were lying!
>He probably knew
>And even so, he followed you to the back
>He squirmed a bit in his seat, gripping the arm rests a little too tight
>You put your hand on his, but he pulls away
>That's fine...
>Anon looks forward as the trailers begins
>"You know, I don't really like horror movies."
"What? Why not?"
>Anon mutters
"What?"
>"I'm a bit of a pussy," he says with a sarcastic tone
>You just smile
>Horror movies reminded you of home, in a way
>That sort of immense terror you used to wreak upon the land
>It was a little bit of escapism from this dull world
>But if Anon was scared of horror, then he'd be wanting to cling to her maybe
>The thought made you laugh
>Anon was already tensing his body, as if in anticipation

>As the movie progressed, you kept turning your head to Anon
>His eyes were bugged, and the whole of his body tensed
>He hadn't made a single sound during the whole movie
>Really wanted to save face, huh?
>You put your hand on his, and this time he didn't pull away
>He grabbed your hand in his and you felt yourself go flush
>Fingers interlocked, you could feel that 'butterflies in the stomach' feeling
>Could he?
>You hadn't noticed it, but over time Anon had leaned ever closer to you
>With a strong grip on your hand, he leaned his head against yours
>As well as he could against your full head of hair
>So close to you...
>You didn't care much for the movie
>Instead, you turned to look Anon in the face
>You rubbed your thumbs against each other's palms
>Anon's eyes darted from the screen and on to you
>Staring into each other's eyes... It was a strange sensation
>You leaned in and—
>Anon turns his head, your lips planting themselves on his cheek
>You see his eyes, just for a moment, flit to your crotch
>Somberly, you lean back into your chair
>That's... That's okay
>It's okay
>Anon's hand slips away from yours
>You spend the rest of the movie sitting in silence, hands plopped in your lap

>After the film is over, Anon walks you home
>You don't say much to each other
>There's a little small talk over the movie, sure
>But most of the walk is silent
>"Well, here you are."
"Thanks."
>You stop outside the door
>"I, uh, had a good time and stuff."
>Anon coughed
>You nod
>You thought you'd be angrier
>The night was going rather well, but you sort of expected it to end like this
>Maybe you'd just pull Anon into the apartment and make him like you
>That's how you thought it'd go
>But instead you just felt... dejected
>Things would be fine if you weren't a freak
>Anon looks at you and frowns
>Could he tell how you were feeling?
>You were usually good at hiding those sorts of things
"You can go. I won't tell anyone about what we did... Thanks for humoring me."
>"I really did have a good night, Adagio."
"Sure."
>Anon laughs
>"Oh, so you can say 'sure'?"
>You give a weak laugh
"Goodnight, Anon."
>Turning, you search your pockets for key
>You feel Anon's hand grab your wrist
>There's a tug, and you turn around
>Next thing you know, you feel his lips pressed against yours

>Your heart flutters
>It almost makes you want to cry
>A few seconds later, it's over
>"Goodnight."
>You stand there, dumbfounded as he leaves
>It takes a few minutes before you finally decide to push your way into the apartment
>Your whole body is electric, giddy
>Things were actually going well!
>Anon... He liked you
>Maybe things would be a little weird, but he was giving you a chance
>You jump with glee, overcome by joy
>"You look like you had a good day," Aria says glumly
"Maybe I did."
>"What? Got Anon to suck your dick?" she says with a smug grin
>You snarl
"Do you always have to be a bitch?"
>"Maybe I'm being a bit bitchy. Don't have to be such a dick about it?" 
>Her smile's getting bigger
>You ball your hand up into a fist
"Can you just not do this tonight?"
>"You know, I was doing you a favor before. No guy's gonna like you the way you are. You came out messed up when we were banished. You're just going to get yourself hurt. Again."
>You stomp your foot
"This time is going to be different!"
>Aria shakes her head
>"Right. Just wait. Shit's going to blow up in your face, and you'll come crying to me about it."
>Fucking...
>You grunt and push Aria aside
>Fuck her
>You and Anon were going to be happy
>Couldn't let Aria ruin your day
>She was talking at you, but you didn't listen, resigning yourself to bed

>Aria snickered at you that morning
>Still going on about your 'problem'
>She didn't care how it made you feel, clearly
>It took a lot of strength to not throttle her to death
>Plus, it didn't matter
>She was wrong
>The first half of the day droned on endlessly as you waited for lunch
>Your heart lifted up as the bell rang
>Quickly, you headed down to your usual spot
>You got there a little bit before Anon
>"So, about last night..."
"Thank you for giving me a chance."
>"Yeah, yeah. I just tried to think about you as you. Adagio. Still felt a bit weird, but..."
>His comment took you aback, just a little
"Weird is better than disgusting, I guess."
>You smile slightly
>Anon nods
>"So, what do you want to do today?"
"Maybe we could hang out at my place."
>Anon coughs and tugs at his collar
>"Eh, I think that might be a bit too much, too soon."
>You pout
"Well, it's not like anything'd happen, necessarily."
>"I just... You have to let me move at my own pace here. I'm trying to be open minded over this. It's not easy."
>You deflate a little and nod
>He was acting like he was doing you a service for looking past your 'equipment'
>He was probably right
>Didn't make you feel any better about it, though
>Your eyes are drawn to an approaching figure
"Why's Rainbow Dash coming over here again?"
>Anon swears

>Rainbow walks up to the two of you with an obnoxious swagger
>"Heya, Anon."
>He shrugs
"Can you stop annoying us? You're being a pest."
>"Hey, I'm not here to talk to you," she says with an aggravating grin
>Anon rolls his eyes and turns to Rainbow Dash
>"Look, I don't want to hang out. We're not friends."
>"Ouch," she replies sarcastically. "But that's not what I'm here for."
>"Spit it out then. We were having a conversation."
>A shit eating grin creeps across her face
>"I just wanted to ask you a question is all."
>"Is it something dumb?"
>"Hey, I'm just a curious person. So, Anon..."
>She leans in
>"Are you a top or a bottom?"
>Anger flashes across Anon's face
>"What?"
>"Does he put it in your ass?" she says, pointing to you
>Her voice was getting louder and drawing attention
>The hairs on your neck stood up as stray eyes looked on to the scene
>"Well? You know what they say, Anon. Gay's okay. We're all friends here. Just, what's it like taking a dick up your ass as a guy?"
>Anon stands up from his seat, rage seething from his eyes
>"Look, it's not like that! Now just fuck off back to your table, you dyke."
>"Woah, hey. No need for insults."
>Hate bubbles up inside of you, but you didn't want to make this anymore of a scene than it was
"Can you just go away?"
>Rainbow crosses her arms
>"Your boyfriend looks pretty upset, Anon."
>"Do you think you're funny or something?"
>"By the snickers in the crowd, yes."

>You reach for your neck instinctively
>No gem
>The laughing, the looks from the others in the cafeteria...
>If only you could sing
>Sing a song and make this stop
>You clutch at your neckline and shrink in your seat
>Rainbow smirked, puffing herself up as the other tables chuckled
>"I hear you're packing pretty heavy, big guy," she blurts.
>That stung
>But more than that, you were fucking pissed
>Fuck her
"Go away, or you'll regret it. Final warning."
>Rainbow Dash laughs, nearly doubling over
>"Right. Fine, I'll leave you two butt buddies alone."
>Anon jabs a finger into Rainbow's chest
>"It's not like that!"
>"Fine, fine. Just, do you spit or swallow? I got a million of these."
>Her voice is dripping with smugness
>Anon throws his hands in the air
>"I'm not gay, okay?! J-Just shut up and go back to your table."
>"Pfft, whatever. Being a dude with a boyfriend sounds pretty gay to me. Which isn't a bad thing. I'm a tolerant person, Anon."
>"Adagio's not my boyfriend! I was being blackmailed!"
>His fingers were pointed to you in accusation
"A-Anon? I thought—"
>"Shut up!"

>The cafeteria was mostly silent, aside from Rainbow Dash laughing to herself
>"Did I touch a nerve?"
>"Fuck you," Anon mutters
>You stand up from your seat, teeth bared
>This wasn't going to happen
>Not like this
>You had a good time last night
>He's just trying to save face
>He doesn't mean it
"Anon—"
>He holds his hand up, turning his face away from you
>"Why did you have to be one of those fucking weirdos? Couldn't you just be a girl? My fucking luck..."
"But I am a girl! I just... Came out wrong."
>Rainbow Dash laughs
>A few others chuckle along with her
"N-Not like that! I mean, when I came over from Equestria!"
>Anon shakes his head and the others laugh
"H-How did you even f-find out about this, you fucking..."
>"Nice one. You wound me. And I don't reveal my sources."
>Then it hit you
"Aria..."
>You've never been so angry in your laugh
>But that would have to wait
>You could get Anon back on your side, surely
>With or without magic, you were still a siren
>Slowly, you walked up to him
"Anon, remember last night? We had such a good time."
>Rainbow Dash continues to laugh, making jokes you don't care to listen to
>You reach out a hand
>He wretches and pulls away from you
>"Don't touch me," Anon says
"Ple—"
>What happened next hurt
>Next thing you knew, you were doubled over on the floor

>The world was a blur
>You couldn't even hear anything
>For that briefest of moments, it didn't even hurt
>That didn't last long
>You tried to scream, but it came out more of a sob
>Pain
>Your gripped your eye and winced at the touch
>"...the fuck, Anon?!"
>You felt a hand on your arm pulling you up
>"Fuck, sorry Adagio. I... This was just supposed to be some dumb joke. Fuck..."
>Rainbow Dash helped you up to your feet
>It was hard to stand
>Hard to breath
>It felt like your face was on fire
"I... Anon..."
>Anon was standing off to the side, blood on his hands, shaking his head
>The room was dead silent
>Drawing everyone's eyes, it almost felt worse than the pain
>It was hard to see the faces in the crowd
>Anon walked away
>You could see the disgust in his eyes
>Maybe partly at himself
>But mostly at you
>Your looked at your hand
>Blood
>The throbbing in your face got worse
>You could hear teachers approaching
>The people around you dispersed
>You looked down
>More blood
"Th-That's not good..."
>You collapse as the world fades to black

>You later came to in the nurse's office
>You told them what happened
>Tried to leave out some things...
>Didn't want to get Anon in too much trouble
>Didn't want to cry in front of the nurse
>Look weak
>So you held that in
>Anon's tone
>The fact he'd throw you away so quickly
>That he'd hit you...
>Rainbow Dash was there, as was Sonata
>Rainbow told you she was sorry
>You accepted her apology
>Sonata was crying, scared
>They allowed her to take you home
>"I'm so sorry, Adagio... I wish I could've helped you."
"It's fine Sonata. It's fine. Can we... Not talk about it?"
>Sonata nodded
>The walk home seemed to take forever
>Keeping the thoughts of Anon at bay was hard
>They came on relentlessly
>Even worse were those niggling thoughts of self-doubt and loathing
>Not so niggling right now
>Anon...
>You got what you deserved
>You were defective
>That's not his fault
>Maybe he'd still take you back...
>Why even try
>You fumbled for the keys and opened the door
"Aria?"
>She was crying
>"Adagio... I-I told you this would h-happen."

>You pushed Sonata away from you, approaching Aria
>Her eyes darted to the floor
>"I... I'm sorry. But I told you, Adagio... This was always going to happen."
>You tried to hold everything back
>The anger
>The tears
>Aria turned to look at you, eye to eye
>You faltered, legs giving way
>Everything came flooding out
>You fell against Aria, digging your head into her chest, propping yourself up against her
>"A-Adagio..."
>You couldn't speak
>Just sob
>Your arms gave way and you fell to the floor on your knees in front of her
>Why?
>Aria was right
>This was always going to happen
>No one could love you
>What was the point
>Aria crouched to the floor and put her arms around you
>They felt like ice against you, but you hadn't the power to push her away
>"I'm sorry, okay!"
>She shook you
>"Talk to me! This isn't the first time this has happened... I just, I just sped it up a little this time. You know? Fuck, c'mon Adagio!"

"Y-You're right."
>Talking through your exasperated breaths was difficult
>Your voice was barely able to croak out of you
"What's... What's the point... You're right."
>"I just... This was always going to happen! I'm not the bad guy here, right Sonata?"
>Sonata looked away, standing by stoically
>"I did this for you... I—"
"You were right, Aria."
>Right now, you almost felt calm in the realization
>Nobody cared about you
>You'd die in a few measly decades, unloved
>Anon...
>What did it matter
>You should've known the first time he walked out on you this would happen
>Like it always did
>And you couldn't just sing him back to you anymore
>No more tricks or deception
>No, you weren't a siren anymore
>What were you?
>You were worthless
>Tears streamed down your face, but you could breath
>"So... So we're good?"
>You took a deep breath
>They wouldn't care
"I've been thinking about this for a while, but I think I'm going to end this."
>Aria did a double-take
>"What the fuck did you just say?"
"We're going to die now anyways... You were right. I'm never going to find someone who cares about m—"
>"NO. Fuck other people. We're here for you. I..."
"I'm a freak. Who could love me? Over a thousand years and there's no one. We're not immortal anymore, so why not just end it sooner?"
>Aria shook you, forcing you too look her in the eye
>"That's the stupidest pile of bullshit I've ever heard! Fuck, Adagio! Wh-What about... What about m-me? What if I care about you, huh?"

"What?"
>Your voice was hardly a whisper
>"I... I did this for you, Adagio. I... You, you always go and hurt yourself over this shit... But what about me? I... I did this for you. I l-love you... Always."
"Love..."
>You looked into her eyes
>She wasn't lying
>You could see it
>Aria loved you
>And you could feel nothing but...
>Hate
>A quiet rage, echoing silently through the whole of your body
>Aria recoiled as you laughed
>It was a maddened laugh
>All this
>Because she 'loved' you
>She'd drive you to the edge of the abyss for 'love'
>You looked her deep into the eyes
>"Adagio... I'm sorry. I love you."
>That word again
"And I hate you."
>Your words were soft, but vile
>It felt good to watch her face drop
>You didn't notice, but you were trembling
>Crying
>Aria pushed yo to the ground and stood up above you
>"WELL GO FUCK YOURSELF THEN! KEEP ON CHASING FUCKS WHO'LL JUST HURT YOU IN THE E—"
>A loud smack rang out in the apartment
>Aria went careening back as Sonata's fist connected with Aria's face
>"Aria... You... YOU'RE THE WORST!"

"S-Sonata?"
>The sound of that punch resonated through your body, startling you
>"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!" Aria yelled. "YOU'RE SUCH A FUCKING IDIOT, SONATA!"
>Her shrieks cut through the air 
>Blood was running down her nose
>She held a hand up to her face, trying to stem the bleeding
>Sonata stomped her foot on the floor, crying
>"You... You can't just treat Adagio like that! If you really cared about either of us, y-you wouldn't have made fun of us every day for a thousand years!"
>Aria spat blood and growled
>"Go fuck yourself! Both of you! Fuck both of you! I'M TRYING TO HELP! I'M THE ONLY SANE ONE HERE!"
>Aria's voice was becoming hysterical, her breathing hyperventilated
>"You think what I did was bad?! Really?! You, Sonata, you wouldn't have lasted a fucking week without me when we first got here!"
>You slowly pick yourself up off the floor, ignoring Aria's rant
>What was it you were even feeling now?
>Anger? Sadness? Annoyance for sure
>Aria's antics were almost making your forget about the pain in your eye
"Just shut up, Aria. Let's just all c-calm down."
>She points a finger at you, wavering with uncontrolled anger
>"YOU CAN'T STOP FUCKING MOPING ABOUT YOUR FUCKING DICK. WELL TOO FUCKING BAD. I'M THE ONLY ONE HERE WHO GIVES A FUCK ABOUT ANYONE OTHER THAN THEMSELVES! BOTH YOU FUC—"
>Another smack rang out through the apartment
>Aria crashed onto the floor on her rear, Sonata standing over her with fist extended
>"THAT'S IT!"

>Aria shoves herself off the floor and tackles Sonata
>Both of them hit the ground with a loud thump
>Sonata, on her back, brings her arms over her face as Aria straddles her
"Get off of her!"
>You rush over to the two of them as Aria begins pounding at Sonata's head with her fists
>The room is filled with screaming, shouting, and the sound of flesh pummeling flesh
>You wrap your arms under Aria's, trying to pull her off
>"LET GO OF ME!" she shouts, squirming in your grip
>With all the force you can muster, you pull
>Aria tries to resist, flailing on top of a sobbing and bruised Sonata
>Eventually you pull her off, both of you falling to the floor
"Will you fucking quit!"
>"LET GO YOU FUCKING FREAK!" Aria screams through tears
>The two of you roll around on the floor, Aria doing everything in her power to try and hit you
>You find yourself on top of her and pin her arms to the ground
>Aria struggles
"JUST STOP!"
>Aria wails, trying to break free
>Your nails dig into her wrists
>Her body goes limp in defeat, and Aria falls silent
>For a while, only your heavy breathing and Sonata's cries are heard
>Then, a whimper
>Aria sobs beneath you
>Whispering "why?" to herself over and over
>"Why can't you just feel the way I do?"
>You growl
"You fucking brat." 

>Fuck this
>Fuck Aria
>When you let go of her wrists, she doesn't move
>She just continues to cry on the floor, blood running down her nose
>You can't help but shake your head as you look down on her
>Your body is shaking
>Breathing is shaky, too
>You turn to Sonata, gasping
>Immediately, you kneel by her side
>Aria really did a number on her...
>You wrap your arms around her and help her to her feet
>Sonata leans against you as she tries to gain her balance
"Are you—"
>"I'm fine, Adagio..." she says with an intense frown
>She's crying, but you can tell she's holding back tears of another sort
>Sonata pulls you into a tight embrace
>You return the hug in kind, and you feel her pat you on the back
>"I'm sorry people are so mean to you... But it's okay."
>She breaks the hug and stares down at Aria
>Aria coughs, shimmying into a sitting position against a nearby counter
>She breaks eye contact with Sonata, staring down at the floor as she sniffles
>Sonata stands silently, staring
>"Leave me alone," Aria says
>"You know... I'm not mad at you. Just sad. Disappointed. W-We're supposed to be friends. Friends don't fight! This isn't how things are supposed to be!"
>Sonata's voice quavers, barely holding together

>"I... It... It's hard enough being stuck here without all this dumb stuff! We're supposed to help each other!"
>You turn away from Sonata as she eyes both you and Aria
>"Both of you. Both of you are always so sad or mean, all the time, and it just sucks! I can handle it when it's one me. Maybe it makes you guys feel better to always make fun of me. So that's okay."
"Sonata..."
>Her voice cracks and she seems to sway a bit on the spot, grabbing at her head
>"B-But this is all too much! We shouldn't be hurting each other like this! Things are hard now... We don't have any more magic.. But we should be helping each other more than ever, not this! I thought we were supposed to be in this together... Friends!"
>Both you and Aria are silent
>Her words dug under your skin
>You looked over to Aria who was trying to hide the fact that she was crying
>Sonata rubbed at her forehead
>"S-So can we... All just..."
>Suddenly, she falters, as if tripping in place
>Sonata lurches forward and heaves
>She falls to the floor
"Sonata?!"
>You hurry down beside her, tapping on her face
>Aria scurries to your side and the two of you shake her
>Nothing
"SONATA?!"
>"Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck! What happened?! I"m sorry, please!"

>You feel around Sonata's neck
>C'mon, c'mon...
>There's a pulse
>She's breathing, too
>But it's very low
>"Oh fuck! Sonata, I didn't mean it!"
"Aria..."
>You grit your teeth
"...You ruin everything. Fucking useless."
>Aria was shaking Sonata, trying to wake her up
>"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean for any of this. I just..."
"I don't want to hear it. Call for an ambulance."
>Aria wiped at her eyes and nodded
>You held Sonata in your arms
>Her face was bruised badly
>Every now and then a soft whimper would escape her lips
>"Do you think she'll be okay, Adagio?"
>You didn't say anything
>Aria awkwardly extended a hand, holding her fingers against your forearm
>You swat her away
>It took everything you had not to jump her then and there
>Give her a taste of her own medicine
>"I'm sorry. Please, will you just know that? Please Adagio."
"I regret ever taking you in. Just know that."
>Aria's eyes hit the floor
>The two of you sat at Sonata's side until the ambulance arrived

>Sonata was placed in a room within the nearby hospital
>It took some convincing, but the doctors allowed you and Aria to stay by her bedside
>No other family and all that
>You stayed with Sonata until she awoke
>"Adagio? Aria?"
>"Sonata! I'm sorry, please, I'm sorry," Aria said, pulling Sonata into a hug
>Sonata looked around, taking in her environment
>Shock and panic crept across her face
>"A-Am I okay?"
"You'll be fine. They said it was a concussion. A bad one, but... You should get over it with some rest."
>"My head hurts..."
>"I didn't mean to hurt you, Sonata. I'm sorry."
>Sonata returned Aria's hug
>"It's okay. I know. I love you guys. It's fine, really."
>"It's not. I'm going to make this up to you. To both of you."
>Aria nodded with a sort of self-affirming conviction
>"I fucked up."
"You can say that again."
>"You don't have to rub it in."
>You open up your mouth to retort, but...
>Sonata wouldn't want that
>There'd be a truce
>For now
>And so you sat in silence

>"Do you guys remember when we first found each other?" Sonata asked. "I liked things back then. We didn't fight so much."
>You nod
"Didn't last long before that bearded fuck banished us here..."
>Sonata sighed, playing with the tube running into her wrist
>"Yeah... But you guys were a lot nicer to each other back then. And to me, not that that matters. We were like a family almost. And you, you weren't so grumpy all the time, Aria."
>Aria scoffs and crosses her arms
>"I always had a bit of a misanthropic streak."
"Oh, like that's a good thing."
>Aria holds a hand against her chest, oozing with sarcasm
>"But Adagio, it's part of who I am!"
>You all chuckle
>You cut yourself short
>Wouldn't let some downtime push all the shit Aria'd just pulled aside
>You were still mad
>Eventually, Sonata was allowed to leave
>She cheered as they strolled her out in a wheelchair
>A steady diet of painkillers and sleep was on the menu for her for the next few weeks
>You'd try and help her whenever she needed it
>And made sure to give Aria the cold shoulder
>Then it arrived in the mail
>The bill
"How the fuck are we going to pay for this."

>You wrangled Aria into the living room as Sonata slept
"How do you expect us to pay for this?"
>You shove the bill in her face
>"Hey, personal space!"
"Sonata's bill. We can't just waltz in and sing this away. We actually have to pay for shit now. This is your problem."
>Aria's eyes bulge as she spots the total you'd been expected to pay
>"But... They didn't even do anything! 'Go home and rest and stuff' isn't worth this!"
"That doesn't matter. You always fuck everything up, Aria."
>You curse and begin pacing
>You couldn't even look her in the eye
>The only thing that even made her tolerable was the knowledge that it was making Sonata happy
>You watched as Aria's energy fled her body, just as it always did these days when you talked to her
>Throwing little pity parties for herself
>Mumbling about why you couldn't just love her or some other shit
>Selfish fuck
>"I know. I know."
>Aria stared at the paper in her hands and sighed
>"I don't know how we're going to do this."
"That's not helping."
>Aria shrugs and throws her hands up
>"Well fuck, I thought it was a great idea! Look, I don't know. I'm not going to know! W-We can't get this kind of money. As far as the world is concerned, we're teenage girls. Minimum wage jobs aren't going to get us anywhere."
"Great."
>"I'm sorry, okay? How many times do I have to say that?"

>You shake your head
>Not enough times for your liking
>It probably wouldn't be possible
>"Remember when we lived in the brothel? Back in England?"
>You stopped pacing
"Are you being serious? We might as well just leave and find a new place to live."
>"But we don't have a new place to live. We have this place. It's a miracle we can even pay the fucking rent. We don't have magic anymore. Leaving this would probably end up fucking us over even more," she said with a defeated tone
>Aria sat slumped on the couch
>"It's not like I have great memories of that, you know? It's just an idea..."
"It's an illegal idea."
>"Okay, so what's your master plan, huh?"
>You snort
"I don't know. Maybe not beating Sonata to a pulp and putting her in the hospital is my plan! Maybe you could've just beat yourself over the head with a bat instead."
>You give Aria a spite-fueled smile
>She shrinks into her seat, tears welling in her eyes
>Biting into her lip, she swallows 
>Aria turns her head up to you looking utterly hopeless
>"You know, I never cared about your—"
"Don't. Don't talk about it."
>You wince
>You'd liked not having thought about... that... for a while
>"You've always been Adagio to me. That's all."
"You think that's going to make up for anything?"
>"No. No, I don't." Aria sighed. "I don't have any other ideas."
>You grunted
>You didn't have any ideas either

>Over the next few days, you tried to think of alternatives
>You'd run into the same two walls every time
>You were a teenage girl for all intents and purposes
>It didn't matter if you were educated enough
>You needed an actual degree these days
>The backwards priorities of modernity irked you
>Then, your other ideas involved singing 
>You couldn't do that anymore
>It was hard not to think as though you still had the gem
>Sonata was still mostly bed ridden
>Aria had taken to cooking her breakfast in bed
>Chatting with her
>A bunch of bullshit false fronts to try and make up for her fuck up
>Maybe it was genuine
>You doubted it
>"It'll probably be okay to miss the first due date on the bill, but after that..."
"I know, Aria."
>"Have you thought of anything else we could do?"
>You shook your head
>"Me neither..."
>Fuck
"How do we even do this? Prostitution is illegal now."
>"Craigslist."
"Seriously?"
>"Yes."
>Great

>Setting up your 'ads' made you physically gag
>Not-so-secret code words to imply that, yes, you would be an escort
>Yes, you were someone's fetish...
>You wish you didn't have to put that in
>But showing up to one of these things and having the guy find out there?
>You sort of liked being alive, for as much as that was worth these days
>Aria's page was a lot simpler to set up
>More money for her, too
>It didn't take long for either of them to get replies
"Remember to always have your phone on you."
>Aria sighed
>"I know, Adagio."
>She crossed her arms and looked into your eyes solemnly
>This was her fault
>Even she didn't deserve the things they'd have to do
>"I'm sorry."
>You turned from her
"I'll see you later tonight. Or maybe in the morning..."
>Aria nodded
>You headed out onto the night streets
>Heading off to some rundown shithole in a bad part of town
>At least it wasn't 'the' bad part of town
>Maybe the guy would take you inside, set you down, and just hand you the money
>A little kindness from the bottom of his heart to someone in trouble
>Ha

>The house might better be called a shack
>Fuck, the garage was bigger than the house connected to it
>Something told you the house wasn't always this shade of off-yellow, either
>A subtle, stagnant stale odor wafted from the place as you approached
>You nervously looked off into the darkness at your sides as you walked up the stairs to the front door
>The door creaked open
>"C'mon in," the man whispered with a smile
>You smiled back and timidly entered
>The guy was portly, pudgy
>His smell wasn't quite off, but it stung your nose
>The money in his hand was attractive enough
>This wouldn't be like the brothel
>No 'be fun, be flirty'
>Just the work, mostly
>You didn't think word-of-mouth mattered too much in this day and age
>The door closed behind you, enclosing in this small house
>You could see every inch of it from where you stood
>Not very clean, not quite a pigsty 
>Card table crammed in the center of the kitchen, cluttered with papers and drawings that surrounded a solitary laptop
>The rest of the house was mostly just boxes filled with what seemed to be junk
>A dirtied mattress lay on the floor
>No sheets, no covering
>"It's not much, I know. Don't have much."
"That doesn't really matter as long as you have the money."
>"Now that I do have," he said chuckling, pulling the bill taut between his hands

>You reach out for it
>He pulls away
>"Woah! That is not how this works," he says incredulously
"You expect me to do this without getting paid upfront?"
>He snorts
>"Think I don't know that one? Cops take the money first. Not that we're doing anything illegal."
"Fuck, whatever..."
>You shrug
>Not getting the money first was tenuous
>But beggars couldn't be choosers...
>The man bit his lower lip and eyed you up and down
>You squirmed under his gaze
>"So, you really a..?"
>You nod
>"I'm gonna have to see it to believe it, 'cause that I do not believe."
>He chortled
>It sounded like a wheezing ass
>You jumped a little as he grabbed a firm hold of your arm, pulling you closer to him
>His other hand groped at your crotch and you winced
>You shrunk in his grasp, but tried your best not to recoil
>He laughed again
>"Damn. You're pretty convincing, you know that?"
>His hands reach for your backside and he pulls you in against him
>That unwashed smell was a lot stronger now
>You let your head go limp as he grasps your face in one of his hands, aiming your face to his
>"Let's get this show on the road, huh?" he says, smiling from the corner of his mouth
>You smile and nod glumly
"Yeah."

>He motions to the mattress on the floor
>You try not to pay mind to the stains that pock the surface
>They almost look like rust stains...
>You both stop at the foot of the bed
>"Well? Are you gonna take it off, or do you want me to do that? Is that extra?"
"Y-Yeah. It's extra."
>He stands there for a bit, looking off into space
>"Fuck, I would, but I'm spending rent money on you as it is." He grins, and cocks his head. "Money well spent from the look of things so far."
>You smile and laugh along with him
>"Well, c'mon. Get it off."
>You nod dully
>He undoes the belt in his shorts as you take off your shirt
>You throw your shirt to the floor
>His shorts hit the ground
>You shimmy out of your skirt and panties
>"Well ho-lee shit."
>Your whole body groans as he grasps your cock
>The only guys who'd fuck you, it seemed, only cared about one thing
>It felt like your body was coated in slime
>Forcefully, he pushed you down onto the mattress face first
>You could feel him prod at your rear's entrance
>The sound of a bottle being opened was quickly followed by the spurting of liquid
>"Almost forgot."
>He laughed again
"D-Do you think we could leave my... you know... out of this?"
>The hands on your back pushed down harder
>"Are you serious?

"I-I just—"
>"You're here for a reason. You want to get paid or what?"
>You didn't respond
>"Let's just enjoy this, okay? You seem like a nice enough girl. How about we do it like this..."
>He flips you around on the bed to face him
>His skin hung from his body in lobes
>Sweat was already running through the crevices in the folds in his neck
>He grinned
>You looked away, but a hand brought you back to face him
>"I know we ain't supposed to say names, but I'll pay you double if you say my name. Act like we're a thing, you know?"
>You try to look away and shut your eyes
>He grunts angrily
"I-I don't know about—"
>His grip on you tightens ever so slightly
>"Or maybe we can just do this and you don't get paid."
>His voice was unsteady
>A threat of desperation
>He probably wouldn't act on it
>Maybe he would
>Maybe was enough...
"O-Okay."
>"Jon."
"Okay... Jon."
>You squirmed underneath him
>You'd get paid
>You'd get paid...

>He thrusts forward
>You gasp as he enters you
>The feeling of his sweat-encrusted skin rubbing across yours wasn't pleasant
>"Nugh~"
>His groans were especially airy and shrill for a man of his stature
>Like a broken chew toy
>He thrusted deeper and deeper into you
>It was hard to enjoy it, but you had to try
>Couldn't just lie there like a fish
>Every muscle in your body fought against you as you gyrated against him
>"Say my name."
"J-Jon."
>He grunted with dissatisfaction
"Jon~"
>You wanted to vomit
>He leaned on top of you, holding your face in his hands
>Sloppily, he kissed you
>His open mouth slobbered against your lips
>You squirmed
>"C'mon, open up!"
>Hesitantly, you parted your lips
>At that moment, his saliva-coated tongue darted its way into your mouth
>It writhed like a caged animal
"Mmf~"
>He picked up speed, a hand making it way down to your crotch
>His hand began to pump your cock
>Instinctually, you tried to push him off
>"You're making this harder than it has to be..."
"C-Can we just leave it alone?"
>You ask politely

>You yelp as his hand constricts against your cock
>He stops thrusting, lodged inside you
>"Look." He stares into your eyes, his smile not feeling as authentic as before. "I like you. But you're here for a reason. Okay?"
"B-But maybe we can just—Y-You're hurting me!"
>He pushes you hard into the mattress with the fullness of his weight
>"I want to be nice. Let's do that, okay?"
>His voice is low and cold
>It chills you
>You nod slowly
>He rubs at your shaft
>The squirming is weaker than before
>You try not to cry
>Maybe you've already lost out on the money...
"A-Are you still going to pay me after this?"
>"Be a good girl, and yeah, of course. I'm a nice guy."
>He smiles and laughs
"I'm sure you are..."
>"Just call me Jon and we'll be awesome," he says as he rubs his hand along your shaft
>His thrusting begins again, though starting slowly
"Oh, J-Jon~"
>His grunting fills the air with its wispy wheeze
>He smashes his face against yours, devouring your mouth
>You open up and let his tongue spasm against yours
>Every pump of your shaft seems to try and force tears out of you
>You hold them back

>Your heart quickened in your chest, trying to find its way out
>Not out of pleasure, but anxiety and fear
>Why couldn't he just stop touching your...
>You didn't even want to think the word
>You let your mind wander away
>Thinking about what you were doing would only fuck things up
>Wallowing could come later
>You needed the money
>His dry moans wormed their way into your ears, his saliva running down the sides of your face
>He reared back
>"I'm gonna cum!"
>He pulled out of you and began masturbating over you fervently
>"FUCK!"
>His squealing grunts rang through the air as he ejaculated
>Jism sputtered from his cock and onto yours
>He licked his lips all the while, moaning in delight as he sullied you
>"Whoo! Damn." He clapped his hands together. "Good for me. How 'bout you?"
"G-Great..."
>You could barely force the words out
>You wanted to rip your skin off and burn it
>"I'll pay you double if you lick that off your fingers," he says, pointing at your crotch
"I thought you were already paying me double."
>"I changed my mind."
>You nod
>You needed the money

>Taking your finger, you wiped up a gob of his... semen
>You brought it to your mouth and tried to hide your gagging
>In one fell swoop, you popped your finger into your mouth and swallowed
>Tears fell down your face as your fought the urge to heave
>You repeated this until you were done
>"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Jon says, grinning
"It was great."
>You try to smile
"Are you going to pay me now?"
>"What's the rush?"
>You shimmy up the mattress a little and start getting to your feet
>You can't
>You're stuck under him
"I-It's extra for extra sessions."
>"I don't know. It seemed like we both enjoyed ourselves. Maybe you should be paying me?"
>You stiffen and droop your head
>"I'm kidding. But the night's long. We can do a little more, don't you think?"
>Jon smiles, almost coy, almost doting
"I... I have to go home. I just need the money."
>You gulp and try to move
>He has you firmly planted under him
>"Something important?"
"Y-Yeah. Taking care of a sister..."
>"I'm sure she won't mind a little bit of a wait."
>You look to your clothes in a pile nearby
"M-Maybe I can just text her that it'll be a bit, then. So she doesn't get worried."
>You reach your arm out for your clothes
>He stops you
>"We don't need to do that, do we?"
>Jon smiles