Shadow Slave - One Shots

The night stretched around them, silent and vast, as if holding its breath. The water park, now empty, felt like another world entirely. 

Sunny's heart was still racing, his mind scrambling to make sense of everything, to carve meaning into what had just happened. But no matter how much he tried to rationalize, to break it down into something simpler, one truth remained.

He had told her.

And she had answered.

Nephis hadn't let go of his hand, her fingers wrapped lightly around his, a quiet anchor against the storm of thoughts that threatened to pull him under. It was strange, how something so simple could unravel him more than a thousand battles ever had.

After a long moment, Nephis finally spoke. "You're scared."

Sunny let out a breathless, humorless laugh. "Of course I am."

Her grip tightened, just slightly. "Why?"

"Because nothing in my life has ever stayed." he admitted, the words slipping out before he could stop them. "Because I know what happens to people who love me. Because I know what happens to people I love."

...

Nephis studied him, her expression unreadable, but her eyes; those silver eyes that had always been sharp enough to cut through him, were filled with something else now. Understanding.

She didn't try to argue, didn't try to dismiss his fears like meaningless doubts. She simply stood there, still holding his hand, still looking at him like she had already decided that none of those things mattered.

"You're wrong." she said, finally.

Sunny frowned, instinctively bracing himself for an argument. "Oh? And what exactly am I wrong about?"

Nephis took a step closer, close enough that he could feel the warmth of her even in the cool night air. "You're not a curse, Sunny."

He stiffened. "You don't know that."

"I do." There was no hesitation in her voice. No doubt. "I know you. And I know that nothing - not fate, not the world."

His breath caught.

The conviction in her words was terrifying. Because he wanted so badly to believe them. Wanted so badly to believe her.

"You don't have to be afraid," she murmured. "Not of this. Not of me."

Sunny swallowed hard, the weight of her words settling into his bones. He wanted to tell her that it wasn't that simple. That it never had been. That wanting something, someone, had never led to anything but loss.

But Nephis had never been someone he could lie to.

So instead, he exhaled, slow and unsteady, and said the only thing that made sense. "I don't know how to do this."

Her lips quirked in the faintest trace of a smile. "Neither do I."

For some reason, that made his chest ache.

They were both broken in different ways, scarred by the past, by their battles, by the things they had done and the things they had lost. But here, now, in this quiet moment beneath the empty sky, none of that mattered.

Nephis lifted a hand, fingers brushing against his cheek, light as a whisper. "But I know I want to try."

Sunny let out a shaky breath. "Even if it ends in disaster?"

"Even then."

She was close now, closer than before, her touch grounding him in ways he hadn't realized he needed. He could still feel the ghost of her lips against his own, the memory of that soft, fleeting moment that had unraveled everything he thought he knew.

He had spent so long running from this. From her. From himself.

But Nephis had never been the kind of person you could run from.

So, for once, he stopped running.

Slowly, hesitantly, Sunny lifted a hand and curled his fingers around hers. Nephis watched him, waiting, giving him the space to decide—to choose.

And then, with a breath that felt like surrender, he leaned in.

This time, when their lips met, it wasn't hesitant. It wasn't fleeting.

It was a promise.

And for the first time in his life, Sunny let himself believe that maybe, just maybe, this was something he could keep.

******

The ride back was quiet. Not in an awkward way, but in the way that came after a long, exhausting day—where words felt unnecessary, and silence was comfortable.

The cohort had piled into a sleek, dark car—one of Kai's, naturally. The interior smelled like expensive leather and faint traces of whatever cologne he used, and the seats were absurdly comfortable. Sunny, still damp from the pool, slouched against the window, watching the city lights blur past as they drove through the streets.

Effie, unsurprisingly, had passed out almost immediately in the back seat, arms crossed, head tilted back against the headrest. Cassie was resting too, though in a more composed manner, her blindfold still in place as she leaned against the door. Kai, who had somehow managed to look completely untouched by the chaos of the day, was humming softly to himself as he drove, one hand on the wheel, the other adjusting the radio.

Nephis sat beside Sunny. Close enough that their shoulders brushed occasionally with the car's movements. Close enough that, if he wanted, he could reach for her hand again. But he didn't. Not yet.

He was still processing.

The weight of the confession sat heavy in his chest, but not in the way he had expected. It wasn't suffocating. It wasn't terrifying.

It was just… there. A truth, like everything else he had spoken before.

Nephis had accepted it. She had answered him in her own way. And yet, despite all of that, nothing felt different.

Or maybe it did.

He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She was staring out the window, her silver hair catching the dim glow of the passing streetlights. She looked peaceful. Content, even. Like she wasn't second-guessing any of it. Like she had already made her choice, long before he had spoken the words aloud.

A quiet exhale left him. He closed his eyes briefly, resting his forehead against the cool glass of the window.

'Damnation.'

"What are you thinking about?"

Her voice was soft, but in the hush of the car, it reached him clearly.

Sunny hesitated. He was too tired to fight the truth, even if he wanted to.

"You," he admitted.

Nephis didn't react at first. Then, after a pause, he felt it. The faintest brush of her fingers against his hand, like a feather, resting lightly on the seat between them.

Just before they could of made a move on eachother:

They reached his house. The city had grown still, the night air filled with cool breeze (perfect for love just wanted to say that). The moment the car pulled into the driveway, Effie stretched, yawning loudly.

"Man, I could sleep for a week," she groaned, rubbing her eyes as she stumbled out of the car.

Kai chuckled. "You say that, but if I call you tomorrow for a spar, you'll be there."

"Damn right I will." Effie grinned before shaking out her damp hair. "But maybe after a nap."

Cassie stepped out, her blindfolded gaze tilting up toward the sky. "It's peaceful tonight."

'How would she know that...?'

Sunny followed her gaze, his own eyes drawn to the full moon hanging in the sky. The silver light washed over the quiet street, casting long shadows across the pavement. The air smelled faintly of rain, even though it hadn't fallen.

They all made their way inside, the familiar space of Sunny's home greeting them. It wasn't large, but it was his. A place of quiet solitude, though tonight, it felt livelier than it had in a long time.

Effie flopped onto the couch without hesitation. "Alright, what's the plan?"

Sunny frowned, flipping his head sideways like an owl. "Plan for what?"

"You know. The next thing." She waved a hand vaguely. "Are we just gonna sit around, or are we doing something?"

Kai leaned against the counter. "A picnic, maybe?"

Effie snorted. "A picnic?"

Kai shrugged. "It'd be nice."

Cassie smiled. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea."

Sunny groaned. "You guys just got back from nearly drowning me at a water park, and now you're planning an outing?"

Effie smirked. "Gotta keep life interesting."

'As if Fighting Fallen and Corrupted Creatures weren't enough.'

There was something about the way she said it... like it was more than just a joke. Like she knew, as well as the rest of them, that they had spent too much of their lives fighting, surviving. Maybe taking a moment to just exist wasn't the worst idea. Sunny.. also didn't disagree with that perception.

Kai clapped his hands together. "So, it's settled. Picnic tommorow!"

Sunny sighed but didn't argue. Instead, he leaned back, letting the conversation drift around him as the others made plans, tossing around ideas of where to go, what to bring. It was nice, in a way. Normal. As normal as things could be for them.1

Eventually, though, the night grew late, and one by one, they left. Effie was the first to leave, stretching and mumbling about needing sleep before she could think about another adventure. Kai followed after, flashing a knowing smirk in Sunny's direction before disappearing into the night. Cassie lingered the longest, her soft smile lingering as she bid them goodnight.

And then, it was just them.

******

(cool moment ahead be prepared all my efforts of writing is in this moment!)

Nephis didn't move to leave. She stood still.

For a while, neither of them spoke. The soft hum of the night surrounded them, the faint crickets in the air, the world settling into a peaceful state that neither of them had felt in a long time.

Then, after a moment, she turned and made her way toward the balcony.

The doors slid open with a quiet hiss, letting in the cool night air. She stepped outside, and without thinking, Sunny followed.

The world outside was still. The city stretched far beyond them, but here, in this small pocket of space, it was just them. The grass below swayed gently in the breeze, the distant hum of crickets filling the silence.

Above, the moon loomed large, bathing everything in pale silver light.

Sunny exhaled, leaning against the railing. "You're staying here." It wasn't a question. Just a statement of fact.

Nephis nodded. "For now."

A comfortable silence settled between them, the kind that didn't need to be filled. But there was something else, too. Something unspoken, waiting in the air between them.

Sunny glanced at her. "What happens now?"

She tilted her head slightly, as if considering the question. "I don't know," she admitted. "But I do know I'm not going anywhere."

That should have scared him. Should have sent him retreating behind his usual defenses. But it didn't.

That should have scared him. It should have sent him retreating behind his usual defenses, making some sarcastic remark, turning away before the weight of it all settled too heavily on his shoulders.

That was what he did, after all.

He kept people at arm's length.

He made sure no one could get too close, because getting close meant losing, and he had lost enough in his life.

But it didn't scare him. Not anymore.

He looked at Nephis, really looked at her, and for once, he didn't try to fight what he saw. The way the moonlight turned her silver hair almost luminous, the way her eyes held that same steady look, as if no matter what came next, she would face it head-on.

She always did.

She had always been like that. A beacon in the dark. A force of nature, relentless and brilliant, impossible to ignore. And despite everything, despite the shadow bond, despite his own fears, she had chosen to stay. With him. Even as far as sacrificing herself for him.

Sunny may have not realized it beforehand, but he truly grasped what that sacrifice had meant.

He recalled back to the moment, "Go, Lost From Light." He thought nothing of it, as if those words didn't hold any emotions behind them. However, in this moment, with his new found understanding, he understood what Nephis had done for him.

A breath left his lips, soft and almost disbelieving. He wasn't sure how long he had been holding it in, how long he had been keeping himself locked away, afraid to let himself feel. But now, standing here under the vast night sky, with the cool breeze carrying the scent of damp earth and distant city lights, he felt something settle inside him.

A quiet acceptance.

And then, before he could think too hard about it, he spoke.

"The moon is beautiful, isn't it?"1

Nephis turned her gaze to him, something flickering behind her eyes. Understanding, perhaps. Or maybe something deeper.

She didn't answer.

Instead, she reached out, her fingers brushing against his hand. And just like before, she didn't pull away.

For a long moment, they just stood there, the night stretching infinitely around them. And for the first time in a long time, Sunny wasn't afraid of what came next.

Because, for once, he wasn't standing in the shadows alone.

The air between them felt charged, an unexplainable connection that neither of them seemed willing to break. Sunny's pulse pounded in his ears, but it wasn't the same fear that had haunted him before. It wasn't the kind of terror that left him running. It was something else, something steady, something terrifyingly real.

Nephis's fingers curled slightly, interlocking with his.

A small, deliberate motion.

Sunny's breath hitched.

It felt… simple.

Uncomplicated.

But nothing about this was simple, was it?

She had always been his master after the Forgotten Shore. She had spoken his true name, bound him to her in ways he had never understood, never wanted to admit. And yet, she had never forced him. Never asked anything of him that he wasn't willing to give.

And now, standing under the vast, endless sky, she was giving him a choice.

He swallowed, gripping her hand just a little tighter. "You could have anyone." The words left him unbidden, quieter than he meant. "You don't have to-"

Nephis shook her head before he could finish. "But I want you."

Sunny's throat went dry. He was used to battle, to pain, to the certainty of knowing that everything good in his life would eventually be taken away. But this?

This was new.

Terrifying in its own way. Because she wasn't just saying it. She meant it. And that was more dangerous than anything he had ever faced before.

"I don't know how to do this," he admitted, voice rough. "I don't know how to be-"

Her other hand rose, fingertips barely grazing his cheek, stopping his words before they could fall apart. "Then we'll figure it out. Together."

Something inside him cracked open. A wound he hadn't realized was still bleeding. A weight he hadn't known he was carrying.

And then, without thinking, without hesitation, he leaned in.

Their lips met in a kiss that was not desperate or rushed, not fueled by fear or uncertainty, but by something far stronger.

Something that had been waiting, simmering beneath the surface for far too long.

It was soft.

Steady.

A quiet promise.

When they parted, Nephis didn't pull away. She stayed close, forehead touching his.

"I won't let you run from this."

Sunny let out a shaky breath, then, finally, allowed himself to smile.

"I don't think I want to."

********

After a moment of them bonding, she spoke. "Are you tired?"

The question was simple, but it carried weight. It wasn't just about exhaustion from the day. It was about everything. To their struggles, their scars, the endless fight that had defined their lives.

Sunny misintepreting the question, responded. "Yeah. But I don't think I want to sleep alone tonight."

Nephis studied him for a second, then gave a small nod. "Then don't."

She turned and stepped inside, leaving the cool night air behind. He followed, their hands brushing as they walked.

Neither of them said a word as they moved through the dimly lit house. It was a quiet space, untouched by the outside world.

Just the two of them, wrapped in the lingering stillness of the night.

Inside his room, the bed was as unassuming as everything else about his home.

He had never really cared about comfort, never made a habit of indulging in it.

But as Nephis sat at the edge of the mattress, slipping off her shoes and running a hand through her silver hair, he realized that comfort had never been about things.

It had always been about people.

It had always been about her.

Sunny hesitated for only a moment before he followed her lead, shrugging off his jacket, leaving himself in just a loose shirt and sweatpants.

The day's exhaustion was finally catching up to him, but his mind was still racing.

Would this change things? Was it supposed to?

He didn't know. But what he did know was that, for once, he wasn't afraid of the answer.

Wordlessly, Nephis shifted, making space for him as she lay down. He slid in beside her, hesitantly at first, but then her hand found his again beneath the sheets, and that small touch made the hesitation melt away.

Nephis layed beneath Sunny, feeling his warmth, resting her head on his chest.

They lay there for a while, the silence between them thick with unspoken things. The steady rhythm of her breathing, the faint warmth of her presence.

It was... soothing in a way he didn't know he needed.

"You know," Nephis murmured, her voice barely above a whisper, "I never thought I'd have something like this."

Sunny turned his head slightly, glancing at her. "Like what?"

She didn't look at him, instead keeping her gaze fixed on the ceiling. "Something… peaceful."

A small pause.

"Something I wanted to protect, not just for the sake of survival, but because it matters to me."

He swallowed. 

"You matter to me." she added softly.

His throat felt tight. He had spent so much of his life being overlooked, being cast aside, being nothing.

To hear those words, to know she meant them, it was almost too much.

Almost.

He turned onto his side, propping himself up slightly on his elbow.

Nephis finally looked at him, her silver eyes steady and calm, as if this moment was just as inevitable as everything else in their lives.

"You matter to me too," he admitted, because he had no choice but to tell the truth.

"Probably more than I should let you."

She gave a small, knowing smile. "You let me."

His heart skipped a beat. Maybe he did. Maybe he always had.

Slowly, cautiously, he reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from her face. Nephis didn't move away, didn't look away, just watched him with that same quiet intensity.

And before he could talk himself out of it, before doubt or fear could creep in, he leaned down and kissed her.

It was soft, almost hesitant. Not the desperate, fiery kind of kiss that belonged in stories, but something quieter.

Something certain.

Nephis exhaled against his lips, and for a moment, they just stayed there, close enough to feel the warmth of each other's breath.

When he finally pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers, eyes half-lidded with exhaustion.

"You're staying here from now on." he murmured, echoing his own words from earlier.

A faint smile ghosted over her lips. "For now," she teased lightly, before squeezing his hand beneath the covers.

He huffed out a quiet laugh. "Good enough."

The silence stretched between them again, but this time, it was warm.

Safe.

For once, there were no battles to fight. No nightmares to prepare for.

Just them.

And for the first time in many years.

Sunny slept with a smile.