Shadow Slave: Kindness

Cassie stood still.

She didn't speak. Didn't move. Didn't even breathe, it felt like.

Because every word Sunny had just said — calm, measured, careful — echoed like a stone dropping into a still pond inside her chest.

He hadn't meant to say anything cruel.

He never did.

But somehow, his restraint — the quiet, deliberate distance he placed between them — landed like a knife.

The restraint which Cassie had suddenly become aware of, that not everything is sunshine and rainbows.

She swallowed hard.

And she smiled.

Or tried to.

Because she understood. Of course she did. She of all people should understand boundaries, and space, and how hard it is to open up.

But still… part of her had hoped.

...

And it wasn't his fault.

But that didn't stop it from hurting a little.

Cassie said nothing. She just reached up and tugged her braid tighter, focusing on the small motion, grounding herself.

Because kindness wasn't always soft. And not all distance was rejection.

She knew that.

She just needed to remind herself of it.

Cassie stood still for a moment.

Then muttered quietly, "...Sorry."

Sunny didn't even let the silence drag. He suddenly smiled, and then turning around, stepped closer to Cassie, and — flick — gave her forehead a light tap with his fingers.

"Don't be. Just don't push it, alright?"

Cassie rubbed her forehead and pouted slightly but didn't say anything else.

Sunny glanced over at Nephis.

"You too, Nephis. Once again, don't just go sharing something like that next time without asking first. Especially if it involves someone else."

Nephis didn't argue. In fact, her ears turned faintly red.

"…Sorry."

Sunny nodded, satisfied. "Good."

He cleared his throat and shifted his gaze back toward Nephis, his tone becoming a little more casual — if still a bit tired.

"Anyway… Nephis. What classes are you taking?"

She blinked once, slowly. "Combat only."

Sunny nodded. "Makes sense. You're clearly already trained. But from what I see, only in combat and different fighting situations. Not survival, right? Do you know how to make fire? How to get clean water in the Dream Realm? Stuff like that."

Nephis just shook her head silently.

He paused for a second, then added, "In that case, I think I'll ask Instructor Julius if he'll let you join Wilderness Survival. Of course, only if you want to. I'm not gonna force you into anything."

Cassie's head tilted slightly.

Nephis seemed to think for a moment, then replied to Sunny's offer:

"Okay."

Sunny offered her a faint, crooked smile.

"Great. Consider it a favor. You'll get to learn from the best."

Cassie snorted. "You mean yourself."

Sunny gave her a sidelong glance. "I didn't say that."

"But you thought it."

He didn't deny it.

Nephis looked between them — not with confusion, but a flicker of curiosity.

And for a second, just a second, the air between the three of them felt warmer.

However…

"Nephis, you still didn't say why you called him 'My Sunny'."

Cassie asked suddenly.

Nephis just tilted her head, confused, and replied:

"He is the Sunny I know. So… my Sunny."

Sunny, who was a little ahead, felt again the same warmth he had felt a while ago.

Cassie gaped at her.

"Did I say something wrong?"

Sunny replied first.

"Nope. Nothing. Totally right."

Now, one might think Sunny was lying and going against his Flaw. But Nephis had asked if she said something wrong — not what exactly. So technically, in his mind, Sunny answered her in regards to what she said earlier about their past — which was totally right.

Of course, anyone going by context would assume he was talking about her calling him "my Sunny" — a mistake made by both of the beautiful Sleepers walking beside him right now.

And most importantly, it's not easy.

After all, it took him two full weeks to barely be able to alter and deceive his own mind just enough to say things like that.

Sunny doesn't know neither will he realize for a long time as to just how abnormal that growth and his rate of learning actually is.

More so as to how hard it actually is deceive one's own self and one's own mind.

Mainly because he has no one to compare it against.

He was smacked from behind by Cassie.

"Shut up, you! I can see why Avi told me to be careful. Taking advantage of my precious Nephis—" (she wrapped her arms dramatically around Nephis) "—and corrupting her with your gremlin brain!"

"Don't worry Neph, I'll protect you from this guy."

Then she went close to Nephis's ear and whispered:

"Calling someone 'my' or 'mine' has serious implications you know, mainly girls would only call their boyfriends or wife their husbands by such pet names and such..."

Nephis who only just got to know such information, felt embarassed beyond measure.

"So, do you understand Neph?"

Nephis, still red up to her ears and cheeks, nodded and said:

"Yes, I'll have to make Sunny my boyfriend or marry him to call him 'My sunny'."

Sunny walking ahead suddenly choked on his spit, and fell into a coughing fit, as he listened to every word said by the socially blunt, too blunt girl.

Cassie, meanwhile, felt aghast for a while, and was silent for a second before she mumbled under her breath, "Tch. That's not wrong, but Sunny, and well, any boy will get the wrong idea if you say it like that you know..." 

Nephis still didn't understand, but instead focused her attention on Sunny who was coughing.

"Want water?"

Sunny tried to say something, but another cough seems to come out of his throat, so he just shook his head and started walking a little faster.

"Don't worry Neph, I'll teach you all...we are going to be the best of friends, even sisters you know..."

Cassie said as she again wrapped her palm with Nephis's.

She just nodded, confused while staring at Sunny's back who was moving ahead. His cough under control now, though his cheeks still seemed to hold a faint redness for whatever reason.

"Stop dawdling and hurry up. Julius isn't going to hold class just because someone's busy sulking."

"Who's sulking?!"

Nephis followed quietly.

Cassie stomped after them.

Just like that, the story of six years ago was left behind — for now.