Stirring in his bed, Sunny felt something soft pressed to his back. Which was confusing, since he was clearly laying on his side. The warmth of another body radiated against him, a presence both familiar and still somehow strange.
He opened his eyes, despite the fatigue that still lingered in his mind like tendrils of a half-remembered dream. The room was dim, with the first hints of dusk barely painting the edges of the curtains in muted grays and blues. Sunny took care to move as little as possible, not wanting to disturb the sleeping form behind him.
Nephis. His almost-wife. The thought still felt foreign, like a garment not yet broken in, uncomfortable but promising comfort in time. In just a week, they would be officially married, a commitment that seemed both impossibly distant and frighteningly close.
The bond between them was complicated—a tangled web of emotions, obligations, and something deeper that Sunny couldn't quite name. It made his life complicated, sometimes miserable, yet he found himself unable to imagine existing without her proximity.
Her body trembled slightly, and Sunny realized she was cold. No blanket covered her, leaving her vulnerable to the morning's chill. With a thought, shadows pooled around his hands—dark, malleable extensions of his will. They moved with a gentle precision, lifting the blanket from their feet and carefully draping it over Nephis's shoulders.
The shadows fascinated him sometimes. They were more than just a power; they were an extension of himself, responsive to his lightest intention. Right now, they moved with a tenderness that seemed almost contradictory to their dark nature.
Memories began to drift through his mind. Moments they'd shared—her rare, genuine smiles that broke through her usual stoic facade. The way her eyes would soften when she thought no one was watching. The times she'd stood beside him, not just as a partner, but as something closer to a true companion.
Sunny knew he loved her. It wasn't the passionate, dramatic love of stories, but something more complex. A deep, abiding connection that went beyond mere emotion. She challenged him, supported him, completed something within him that he hadn't even known was incomplete.
Their upcoming marriage was more than a personal commitment. It was a political alliance, a strategic joining of two powerful individuals. Yet Sunny found himself caring less about the political implications and more about the simple fact of being close to her.
Her breath was steady against his back, a rhythmic reminder of her presence. Each inhale and exhale spoke of vulnerability, of trust. She, who was typically so guarded, chose to sleep this close to him. The thought made something warm spread through his chest.
Outside, the world was just beginning to wake. Shadows lengthened and then began to retreat as the first true light of day started to filter through the window. Sunny remained still, treasuring this moment of quiet intimacy, knowing how rare such moments were for them.
He didn't fully understand everything about their relationship. The bond that connected them, the circumstances that had brought them together, the future that awaited them—all of it was still a mystery. But in this moment, with Nephis's warmth against his back and shadows dancing at his command, Sunny felt something close to peace.
A week. Just a week until everything would change officially. Yet, in many ways, everything had already changed.
As the rays of sunlight started to fall behind the horizon, Sunny's mind wandered through the landscape of their shared past. Each memory was a fragment, a piece of a complex puzzle that had brought them together. He remembered the first time they'd truly seen each other—not as enemies, not as obstacles, but as something more.
Their journey hadn't been easy. Fate, it seemed, had a cruel sense of humor. Every moment of happiness they'd shared felt like it was balanced on the edge of a knife, ready to be cut away at any moment. Sunny knew this all too well. His life had been a constant battle against circumstances that seemed determined to break him.
Yet here they were. Together. Breathing. Surviving.
The shadows around him seemed to pulse with his emotions, darkening and lightening with each breath. They were more than just a power—they were his companion, his protection, his curse. Much like his relationship with Nephis.
He thought about their battles, their struggles, the moments when they'd stood back-to-back against impossible odds. The times when death had seemed closer than hope. The instances where they'd saved each other, not out of obligation, but out of something deeper—a connection that defied explanation.
Sunny knew their future was uncertain. The world they lived in was harsh, unforgiving. Fate had never been kind to him, and he had no illusion that it would suddenly change. But in this moment, with Nephis beside him, he allowed himself a moment of hope.
Almost unconsciously, so soft it was barely a breath, he whispered, "I love you."
The words hung in the air, fragile as morning mist. Not a declaration, not a demand, but a quiet acknowledgment of something profound. A truth he rarely allowed himself to express so openly.
His fingers, touched by shadows, almost imperceptibly brushed against Nephis's hand. A gentle touch, a silent promise. Despite knowing that their future was likely to be filled with pain, with struggle, with the constant threat of separation or destruction, he wanted this moment. This brief respite.
The shadows around the bed seemed to curl protectively, as if understanding his emotions. They were his constant companions—dark, mysterious, powerful. Much like his feelings for Nephis.
He knew their love was complicated. Born of survival, of mutual respect, of shared traumas and incredible challenges. It wasn't a fairytale romance. It was something raw, something real. Something that had been forged in the fires of their shared experiences.
A week until their marriage. A week until they would officially bind their lives together. Sunny didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse. But he knew one thing—he would face whatever came next with her by his side.
The first true rays of sunlight began to break through the curtains, casting long shadows across the room. Shadows that danced, that moved, that seemed to whisper secrets of their own.
Fate might hate him, but for now, in this moment, Sunny allowed himself to have hope.
The light of dusk continued to paint shadows across their room, and Sunny felt a slight change in Nephis's breathing—almost imperceptible, but enough for him to suspect she was awake. His heart skipped a beat, realizing she had probably heard his whispered confession. Yet she remained still, maintaining the pretense of sleep, perhaps understanding that some truths were easier shared in these quiet moments.
He appreciated her discretion, her ability to give him these vulnerable moments without making him feel exposed. It was one of the countless things he'd grown to love about her—how she could be so present yet so gentle with his boundaries.
The shadows around them shifted slightly, responding to the subtle spike in his emotions. They had always been sensitive to his feelings, these dark companions of his. Sometimes he wondered if Nephis could read him just as easily as they could, understanding the turbulent currents beneath his calm exterior.
Their story wasn't the kind found in romantic tales or bedtime stories. It was written in scars, in midnight vigils, in moments when they'd pulled each other back from the brink. He remembered the first time she'd trusted him enough to fall asleep in his presence—how significant that moment had felt. Now here they were, sharing a bed as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
A smile tugged at his lips as he recalled their first real conversation, how she'd looked at him with those sharp, calculating eyes that missed nothing. Back then, he never would have imagined they'd end up here. That the woman who had once regarded him with such suspicion would become his anchor in a world that seemed determined to sweep him away.
The shadows around their bed continued their lazy dance, forming abstract patterns on the walls. One particular shadow seemed to take the shape of a crown—a fitting symbol for Nephis, who carried herself with such natural nobility. Not the artificial kind that came from titles and ceremonies, but the true nobility of someone who had fought for everything they believed in.
He could feel the subtle tension in her body now, the barely-there signs that she was indeed awake and listening. Still, she maintained her steady breathing, giving him this moment to be vulnerable without the weight of acknowledgment. It was such a Nephis thing to do—understanding without words what he needed.
Their upcoming marriage might have started as a political arrangement, but somewhere along the way, it had transformed into something else entirely. Something real, something precious, something that made him want to fight against the cruel whims of fate itself.
The light grew stronger, and with it, the shadows in the room grew more defined. They curled around the two of them like a protective cocoon, responding to Sunny's unconscious desire to shield this moment from the world. To preserve it, like a flower pressed between the pages of a book.
He knew they would have to face the day soon. Face the preparations, the ceremonies, the politics, and all the dangers that seemed to follow them like persistent shadows. But for now, in this quiet morning light, with Nephis pretending to sleep beside him and his shadows keeping watch, Sunny allowed himself to believe that maybe, just maybe, fate's hatred wasn't absolute.
Perhaps some things were strong enough to survive even the cruelest destiny. Perhaps what they had built together—this trust, this understanding, this love—was one of those things.
The thought made him smile again, and he felt Nephis shift ever so slightly closer to him, her pretense of sleep still perfect but her message clear: whatever came next, they would face it together.
And maybe that was enough to defy fate itself.
A soft voice, barely above a whisper, broke through the comfortable silence. "I love you too." Nephis's words sent a wave of warmth through Sunny's chest, and he felt his face heat up despite himself. Even after everything they'd been through together, her rare moments of open affection still had the power to make him blush like a lovestruck teenager.
The shadows around them seemed to flutter in response to his emotional spike, dancing across the walls in playful patterns that reflected his joy. He felt Nephis's arm tighten ever so slightly around his waist, pulling him closer in a gesture that spoke volumes more than words ever could.
This was the side of her that so few people got to see—the gentle, caring woman behind the composed facade she showed to the world. Sunny treasured these glimpses of her true self, each one a precious gift that made him fall in love with her all over again.
Her breath tickled the back of his neck as she nuzzled closer, and he could feel her smile against his skin. The simple intimacy of the moment made his heart ache in the best possible way. His shadows responded unconsciously, weaving themselves into intricate patterns above their bed—a canopy of darkness that seemed to celebrate their shared confession.
It was strange, he thought, how someone so powerful, so formidable, could also be this tender. Nephis, who could command attention with a single look, who could strike fear into the hearts of their enemies, chose to show this softness to him alone. The trust implicit in that vulnerability meant more to him than any formal vow they would soon make.
The room had grown darker as evening settled in, but Sunny's shadows provided a different kind of illumination—a gentle, shifting light that turned their bedroom into something almost magical. Like their own private universe, separate from the harsh realities that awaited them outside.
"I know fate hasn't been kind to us," Nephis murmured, her voice still quiet but carrying an undertone of steel that he knew so well. "But I choose you, Sunny. I choose us. Whatever comes next."
Her words made something in his chest tighten. This was Nephis—always meeting challenges head-on, always refusing to back down, even against fate itself. Her determination, her strength, her unwavering support... they were all parts of why he loved her so deeply.
The shadows swirled more intently now, responding to the intensity of his emotions. They formed shapes that seemed to tell their story—two figures standing against a storm, hands clasped, unbreakable. It was appropriate, he thought, that even his powers recognized the strength of their bond.
"We should probably get up soon," she said, though she made no move to release him from her embrace. If anything, she held him closer, as if defying her own suggestion.
Sunny smiled, enjoying the contradiction. This too was purely Nephis—the constant battle between duty and desire, between what they should do and what they wanted to do. But for now, just for a little while longer, they could stay in this moment.
Let the world wait. Let fate plot against them. Let the future bring what it may. Right now, in the growing darkness of their room, wrapped in shadows and each other's arms, they had everything they needed.
And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to change their destiny.