Shadow Slave - One Shots

The fall stole Sunny's breath away.

For a single, weightless moment, there was nothing—just open air, the rush of wind, and the distant roar of water waiting below. His stomach lurched. His instincts screamed.

And then.

Nephis's hand found his.

The drop hit.

They plunged together, the raft tilting at just the right angle to make the fall feel endless. The tunnel swallowed them whole, twisting, spiraling, sending them careening through tight curves and sudden drops. Water sprayed at them from all sides, but all Sunny could focus on was the steady, unwavering grip wrapped around his own.

Somewhere in the chaos, Nephis's voice cut through—quiet, steady, almost lost beneath the roar of the ride.

"Sunny."

He turned his head, barely catching the flicker of silver in the dim tunnel.

Her fingers tightened slightly.

"If we make it through this," she murmured, "there's something I want to tell you."

And then, before he could even process what that meant,the raft shot out of the tunnel and into open air.

A split second of silence.

Then they crashed into the final pool, sending a massive wave of water exploding outward.

Sunny barely managed to keep his head above the surface as they surfaced, gasping for breath. His heart was pounding. From the ride. From the drop.

From something else.

Nephis surfaced beside him, pushing wet strands of silver hair out of her face. Her expression was unreadable, but she hadn't let go of his hand yet.

He swallowed. "What were you-"

"HA! You should've seen your faces!"

Effie's voice cut through like a dagger.

Sunny jerked, immediately yanking his hand back as if burned. Nephis blinked, her fingers slipping away just as Effie swam over, grinning wildly.

Kai leaned against the edge of the pool, smirking. "I don't know what was more intense, the ride, or whatever that was."

Sunny scowled. "Nothing happened."

Effie raised an eyebrow, glancing between him and Nephis.

Then, slowly, her grin widened.

"Uh-huh," she said. "Sure."

Cassie, lounging comfortably at the pool's edge, tilted her head. "You looked like you were holding hands the whole way down."

Sunny spluttered. "That was for survival!"

Nephis, frustratingly, didn't confirm or deny. She simply flicked her gaze toward Sunny, considering for a brief moment.

Then, with the slightest tilt of her head, she said-

"If you want."

Sunny choked. "Are you kidding me?"

Effie howled with laughter. "Oh, I love this."

Kai grinned. "This might be the best part of the whole day."

Sunny groaned, dunking his head under the water just to escape for a second.

When he came back up, Nephis was already moving toward the pool's exit.

She glanced back once, briefly.

And then she was gone.

Sunny exhaled sharply, running a hand through his dripping hair.

…Yeah.

He was in so much trouble.

****

The sun had already set.

The water park, once filled with screams of joy, laughter, and the occasional panicked yelp (mostly from him), had emptied out. The lights that lined the walkways flickered on, casting a soft golden glow over the pools, the now still water reflecting the darkening sky. A breeze carried the scent of chlorine and something sweeter—maybe the lingering smell of fried food, or the memory of warmth before the night settled in.

Sunny sat on the edge of a lounge chair, elbows resting on his knees, hands loosely clasped together as he stared at the still water. The world was quiet now, save for the faint hum of distant music playing over the park's speakers and the occasional drip of water from a ride shutting down for the night.

But in his mind, it wasn't quiet at all.

He couldn't stop thinking about it.

That moment. The way her hand had fit in his. The way she had looked at him—right before the fall, and even after. Like she had seen something in him. Something he wasn't sure he was ready to acknowledge.

But he felt it.

It was still there, burning under his skin, curling in his chest like an ember refusing to die.

Damnation.

He exhaled sharply, running a hand through his damp hair. This was ridiculous. He had survived the First Nightmare, fought horrors beyond comprehension, died and come back to life—but somehow, this? This was what made his stomach twist and his mind spiral?

He knew what it was. He wasn't an idiot. He could lie to himself about a lot of things, but never this.

He was in love with Nephis.

And that was terrifying.

Because Nephis was his master.

Because nothing in his life had ever been his to keep.

Because love, real love, was the kind of thing that destroyed people like him. It was the kind of thing that made them weak, that took and took until there was nothing left but ruin.

And yet.

Across the dimly lit poolside, Nephis stood, her silver hair catching the glow of the lights. She had changed into a dry set of clothes—still simple, still unmistakably her. She was looking at him. Had been for some time, he realized. Then, with a small movement, she lifted her hand and gestured.

Come here.

Sunny swallowed. His body hesitated, but his feet didn't. He rose, walking toward her, the space between them shrinking with every step.

When he stopped in front of her, she studied him in that way she always did—calm, searching, like she was looking straight into him. Like she was waiting.

"You've been quiet," she said softly.

Sunny almost laughed. Of course she noticed. She always did. "Didn't think anyone would complain about that."

She didn't react to the joke. "You're thinking about something."

No escape.

His flaw tightened around him. He could feel it, like an iron grip in his chest. If he tried to deflect, to lie, it would only get worse. That was his curse. And Nephis knew it, too.

"I am," he admitted.

She didn't say anything, just waited.

He clenched his fists at his sides. He could still walk away. He could not say it. But no, that wasn't true, was it? If she asked the right question—

"What is it?" she asked, voice quiet, steady.

Damnation.

The air between them felt heavy. Something shifted inside him, something that had been waiting—pushing—demanding to be seen.

He exhaled, looking at her, really looking at her. He had spent so long fighting against it, denying it, pretending it wasn't there. But it was. It always had been.

"I love you."

The words left him before he could think twice.

They were raw, quiet, but undeniable. The truth, spoken into the night.

And Nephis…

She didn't look away. Didn't flinch. Didn't doubt.

She just stepped closer, her expression unreadable, yet somehow softer than he'd ever seen. Slowly, she reached out, taking his hand. Her fingers were cool, damp from earlier, but steady.

"I know," she murmured.

Sunny blinked. His breath caught. "You—"

Nephis tilted her head. "You're not subtle, Sunny."

He didn't know whether to be relieved or mortified.

But then, before he could decide, she lifted their joined hands slightly, thumb brushing against his skin. Her grip was light, but unshakable.

"Do you regret saying it?"

Sunny swallowed. Thought about all the reasons he should. Thought about how this would change everything.

And yet, when he met her eyes, he found himself saying, "No."

Nephis nodded once, as if that answer was all she needed.

And then—

She leaned in.

Her lips brushed his, light as a breath, warm against the cool night air.

It was not the kind of kiss that stole breath, that burned like fire. It was something quieter, softer. A confirmation. A choice.

When she pulled away, she didn't say anything. She didn't need to.

Because she had already answered.

And for once, Sunny let himself believe it.