Eventually, the sun began to fall, reaching the horizon. The remnants of their meal lay scattered on the blanket, a few half-empty containers and discarded napkins the only evidence of their time spent there.
Effie stretched, letting out a content sigh as she leaned back on her hands. "Well, this was nice," she admitted, tilting her head up to the sky. "But I need a damn nap. All this fresh air is exhausting."
Cassie nodded in agreement, smiling faintly. "I did enjoy it. It's… peaceful."
Sunny smirked at that, but before he could comment, Nephis spoke.
"I'm going with Sunny."
Silence.
Kai's eyes immediately snapped open, interest sparking in his gaze as he slowly turned his head toward them. Effie outright choked on absolutely nothing, her entire body twitching like she'd been electrocuted. Cassie, though blind, somehow managed to pick up on the tension and tilted her head slightly in curiosity.
"Oh?" Effie grinned, suddenly energized despite her previous claim of exhaustion. "Again?"
Sunny felt a slight tick in his jaw, his fingers flexing against his knee. "What do you mean 'again'?"
Effie's smirk widened, her entire expression positively devious. "Oh, you know exactly what I mean."
Kai hummed in agreement, resting his chin in his palm. "Yeah, it's kinda interesting how often Nephis ends up at your place. Almost like a habit. Wonder why that is…"
Nephis, utterly unbothered by the implications, simply glanced at Sunny, waiting for his response as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
Sunny exhaled, resisting the urge to drag a hand down his face. "Fine."
Effie let out a low whistle, clearly enjoying every second of this. "Damn. Well, have fun," she said, voice full of implications.
Cassie frowned slightly. "Why does it sound like I'm missing something important?"
Kai chuckled. "Oh, you are. But don't worry, we'll fill you in later."
Sunny shot him a glare. Kai merely winked.
'Good-looking bastard.'
Nephis, meanwhile, finally moved, standing up and dusting herself off. "Let's go."
She didn't wait for further discussion, simply turned and walked ahead, fully expecting Sunny to follow.
And despite everything, despite knowing he was walking straight into yet another trap, he found himself standing up and going after her without hesitation.
Effie, Kai, and Cassie watched them go.
"Ten bucks says something happens," Effie muttered.
Kai scoffed. "Please. That's a guaranteed loss. The real bet is how long before something happens."
Cassie sighed. "You two are terrible."
Effie shrugged. "Hey, someone has to keep things interesting."
Kai grinned. "Exactly."
And with that, the group parted ways, while Sunny followed Nephis into their home, his mind already racing with thoughts of what was to come.
The game wasn't over.
Not yet.
*******
The moment they stepped inside Sunny's place, something changed.
Nephis had been calm all day, except for that one time.
But now, there was an undeniable shift in the air.
She turned to face him, eyes dark with something unreadable.
"So."
Sunny arched a brow.
"So?"
Nephis took a step closer, then another.
"The game isn't over."
His mouth felt suddenly dry.
"You think you're winning?"
he asked, voice casual despite the way his heartbeat had picked up.
"I don't think. I know."
she murmured, stepping even closer.
Sunny exhaled through his nose, tilting his head.
"Oh yeah? Prove it."
Nephis didn't hesitate. In a swift motion, she caught him off guard, pressing her lips against his. The contact was brief, but searing. And before he could react, she pulled back, her eyes searching his.
Sunny, though having an internal battle with himself, put up a front. "That all you've got?"
Nephis narrowed her eyes slightly, and before she could react, he took control.
Sunny lunged.
Nephis barely had time to react before he pinned her against the couch, his weight pressing down just enough to keep her in place but not enough to overwhelm.
He kissed her, slow at first, then deeper, as if daring her to fight back.
Nephis did.
She responded fiercely, her fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him closer.
He until he changed the game entirely.
His lips trailed downward, ghosting over her jaw, then lower.
Then, without hesitation, he bit down.
On one side was the mark Sunny had implanted, and now he was gonna implant another.
A sharp inhale, then.
Nephis shoved him, breaking free with a breathless glare.
Sunny smirked, running his thumb over his lips, wiping away the slight dampness.
Nephis, still caught between outrage and something else, touched her throat instinctively.
Sunny leaned back, utterly satisfied. "You lost again."
She exhaled sharply, as if trying to regain control of herself. But even as she tried to look composed, the blush that burned her cheeks betrayed her.
Then, she smiled.
"Oh, Sunny," she murmured, stepping toward him again. "You have no idea what you've started."
Sunny blinked.
And then she pushed him down
Caught off guard, he barely had time to react before his back hit the couch. Nephis moved smoothly, her hands pressing against his shoulders as she straddled his waist, silver eyes gleaming in the dim light.
His breath caught.
Damn it.
"Neph-"
She leaned down, cutting off whatever he was about to say, her lips brushing over his before deepening it in one slow, deliberate motion.
Sunny inhaled sharply through his nose, his hands instinctively finding her waist. He could feel the warmth of her body against his, the way her fingers curled into his shirt for balance.
She was,
She was really playing to win now.
His grip tightened. If she thought he was going to just sit back and let her take control.
He moved.
One arm wrapped around her lower back, the other sliding up to cup the side of her face, fingers tangling in the soft strands of her hair. In one swift motion, he shifted, flipping their positions with ease.
Nephis landed beneath him, her expression unchanging, except for the way her breath hitched.
Sunny hovered over her, his thumb brushing over her cheekbone.
"That all you got?" he murmured, voice lower than before.
Nephis stared up at him. Then, to his surprise, she actually laughed, soft and quiet, but unmistakably amused.
"You're getting cocky," she said, tilting her head slightly.
Sunny smirked. "And you're getting desperate."
Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if considering something. Then, before he could react, she grabbed his collar and pulled him down.
Their lips met again, but this time.
This time, she nipped at his bottom lip, just enough for him to feel it.
'Oh. Oh, she wanted to play that game. Fine.'
He kissed her harder in retaliation, pressing her further into the cushions beneath him. One of his hands trailed down, brushing against the bare skin of her waist where her shirt had ridden up.
Nephis's fingers twitched against his collar, her breath hitching ever so slightly.
And just like that, he knew.
Knew that he had won.
For now.
He pulled away slightly, smirking down at her. "Another loss."
Nephis exhaled slowly, looking up at him through slightly lidded eyes.
Then, she smiled.
"You're really not going to let me sleep tonight, are you?"
Sunny blinked.
His brain short-circuited for a second.
*****
The world outside faded into nothingness as Sunny and Nephis remained locked in their private battle, neither willing to fold.
After what seemed like thirty minutes, they finally reached a silent agreement. It was a tie.
Nephis exhaled, her silver hair spread across the cushions, her lips slightly swollen from the endless back and forth. Sunny, breathless himself, ran a hand through his dark hair and chuckled.
"Truce?" he muttered, still hovering over her.
Nephis, cheeks still tinged with pink, met his gaze. There was no coldness there, no unreadable wall, only warmth, only something achingly tender.
"For now," she allowed, her voice softer than usual.
With a sigh, Sunny pushed himself off the couch and extended a hand. Nephis took it without hesitation, allowing him to pull her up. The apartment was quiet save for their steady breathing, and for once, there was no need for words.
A soft breeze drifted through the open balcony doors, and Nephis tugged his hand, guiding him outside.
They stood side by side, leaning against the railing, the cool night air soothing the lingering warmth on their skin.
Nephis glanced at him. "You don't usually talk about what you want for the future."
Sunny blinked, caught off guard. "What?"
She turned her gaze back to the horizon, the soft glow of distant city lights reflecting in her silver eyes. "You've always focused on survival. On what's directly in front of you. But what do you want, Sunny? Beyond all of this?"
The question settled over him like a weight, pressing down on something buried deep inside. For so long, his life had been nothing but survival. Plans on how to survive the next day, or on his worst moments on how he could get enough food for himself.
The future had never been something he could afford to think about. Though, he did have one future he wanted.
He hesitated, fingers tightening slightly against the balcony railing. "I don't know."
Nephis didn't rush him. She simply waited, her presence warm beside him.
After a moment, he exhaled. "No, that's not true." He glanced at her. "I do know."
She turned to face him fully now.
Sunny ran a hand through his hair, gathering his thoughts. It felt strange to say it out loud, to voice something so… ordinary. But he found himself speaking anyway.
"I want to grow." he admitted, his voice quieter than before. "Not just in strength, but in life. I want something of my own. Something that's mine. Maybe… a café of some sort."
Nephis blinked. "A café?"
Sunny shrugged, offering a half-smirk. "Why not? I like coffee. And I like watching people struggle to wake up in the morning. Feels like poetic justice."
Nephis let out a small, unexpected laugh. The sound was soft, but real. "That's… oddly fitting."
"I know, right?" he said, glancing at her. "I'll wake up everyday at around the same time. Maybe even have the damned rock wake me up, preparing for my job as I rummage through my clothes till I find the proper attire. I'd sit behind the counter, pretending to work, while overcharging people for overpriced drinks. Maybe I'll even hire Kai just to make his life miserable. I'd definitely use Effie as my food subject, whether to see which food is edible or not."
She shook her head, amusement flickering in her expression. "You surprise me."
"Good," he said, smirking again. Then, after a moment, his expression turned more serious. His fingers drummed idly against the railing before stilling.
"But, doing those virtuous tasks alone is very sad, and I don't think i'd do it." he murmured, looking at her, "However, if I were to have someone by my side then I think I'd enjoy it.."
He faced towards her, and simply said.
"I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Neph."
Nephis inhaled sharply. Her fingers twitched slightly against the cool metal, but she didn't look away.
Sunny hesitated for only a moment before pushing forward. "I don't know what the future holds. I don't know if i'll ever achieve my dream, or do the things i've always wanted to do but limited by Fate."
Sunny paused, before.
"But I do know this, I want you in my future, Neph. Each second that goes by when you're not around brings me a newfound pain in my heart, as if I yearned for something that wasn't there."
The night air felt heavier, charged with something unspoken between them.
Nephis's gaze softened, her silver eyes gleaming beneath the dim light. Slowly, she reached for his hand, threading her fingers through his.
"Sunny...I want that too," she whispered, as if admitting something long kept hidden. "More than anything."
Sunny swallowed, his heart pounding for reasons that had nothing to do with battle, nothing to do with fear. It was something else entirely. Something he didn't know how to name, but could feel down to his bones.
Nephis squeezed his hand, her thumb brushing against his knuckles. "I love you," she said softly.
No hesitation. No doubt. Just simple, undeniable truth.
Sunny closed his eyes briefly, letting those words sink in. When he opened them again, she was still watching him, waiting.
His lips parted, and for once, he didn't fight the truth clawing its way out.
"I love you too," he said, his voice steady.
Nephis stepped closer, their joined hands pressed between them. "Then let's make it happen," she whispered. "A future together."
Sunny exhaled, feeling something settle deep inside him. A weight lifting.
"Yeah," he murmured, squeezing her hand back. "Let's."
And for the first time in a long time, the future didn't seem so terrifying after all.