A Shimmering Heartbreak

Chapter VIII: The One I Love

The end of a day brings about many things. Some people will say that the end of a day is the best part, finally being able to relax before the storm of tomorrow. In this case, Adagio believes in that, finally being able to spend the night with the love of her life before worrying about what tomorrow will bring~

DISCLAIMER: This story includes references to depression, depressing thoughts, insecurities, anxiety, self-harm and thoughts based around all of these concepts. If you do not want to read a story with slight references to these, I would urge you to click off.

Hello, everyone! Here's the fluffy chapter I've worked so hard on and I hope you all enjoy! I know I left off on a kind of big cliffhanger last time, so here is the resolution to it~ Anyway, enjoy the show and feel free to tell me what you think~ Once again, a HUGE thank you to my good friend Mon668 for beta reading this chapter and providing her feedback for the story~

------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter VIII: The One I Love

My body isn't technically something to be admired... When I still had my magic and ego, that wasn't really the case. I believed the world was made to grovel and worship my every breathing moment. Perhaps I would have been right if I had just made a few less mistakes and actually won. But ever since I lost my powers, my body isn't that great of a sight. At least, I don't think so... I suppose one could think that I'm attractive, but every time I look in the god forsaken mirror, I sort of freeze up... What once was a powerful siren is now just a mortal woman, every last shred of dignity gone. The least I can do is try to hide myself more from everyone else. I suppose that's why I wear jeans and hoodies all the time. My body isn't beautiful...

A small part of me still believes my only value as a person was my power and beauty, but now both are gone from my own eyes. Looking into the mirror, it almost feels shameful to look at my bare body. I was once worth something... No, don't think that... I am still worth something, right? Just not in the same way I was back then... I'm worthy of love. I'm worthy of happiness. Right? I've tried so hard these past few months to turn it all around... And maybe it will all be worth it in the end. If I can just make things right with all of Sunset's friends, then Sunset can have a happy birthday...

The bigger problem, though, is the fact that Sunset is about to see this body for the first time... Why the hell did I agree to this? Just because Sunset loves me doesn't mean she will love this physical form of mine... Hell, she deserves a lot better. Something... nice to look at rather than something plain, boring and ugly. It all comes down to me. Why would she fall in love with someone like me, who can't give her what she deserves...

The sound of running water fills my ears, imitating the running thoughts throughout my mind. Steam clouds the mirror I look into easily, my gaze diverting to my body instead. I was confident in this skin before... Recently, it just feels gross to look at myself. Sunset deserves someone who can make her happy. Someone who is... pretty...

"Adagio? Are you coming?" Sunset's voice happily calls out to me from the shower, the falling water obscuring her sentence ever so slightly.

"Yeah..." My mouth can only really mouth the statement, slowly grabbing my clothes from the ground and putting them inside the hamper, a frown growing on my mouth. A thousand little thoughts chip at my mind, all of them related to the perception of my form. Sunset is a surprising person, so maybe she would actually like this... But my mind somehow doubts that. Bringing my hand to my eyes for a moment, I sigh to myself, thinking once more about what crazy thoughts convinced me to accept this offer. I wasn't ready to share my own body, yet here I am, wanting Sunset to be completely comfortable around me? What is the good of becoming a hypocrite...?