- Flicker, Flicker
The dim light of the underground chamber flickered every few seconds, the rhythmic clang of metal against metal echoing through the space.
Sunny's breathing was steady, as he deflected and traded blows with his shadow, Saint.
But despite his body moving with grace, as if dancing, his mind was elsewhere.
Nephis.
The argument from before still sat heavily in his chest, its weight pressing down on him like an unshakable burden.
The Valor Ball was most likely the only safest way of attaining revenge for Nephis, and he could understand that clearly.
She wanted to stand on her own, to avenge her parents for the crimes King of Valor had committed.
But.
Selfish Sunny just wanted her to stay.
Sunny exhaled sharply as his movements came to a halt. The underground chamber was silent now that could reflect his concurrent thoughts.
He had to make this right.
As if to make this any worse, instead of her staying in his room, she decided to go to the guest room.
He unsummoned his sword and made his way up, climbing the stairs.
The guest room door was slightly open, just as he had left it.
Taking a steadying breath, he pushed it open, stepping inside.
There she was. The cause for his worries, The person that was on his mind constantly.
Her breathing was slow as her back lifted upwards and slowly downwards.
'…Maybe she was waiting for me…?'
The thought sent a sharp pang through his chest.
He hesitated before stepping closer.
He knelt beside the bed, his fingers curling into his palm as he stared at her peaceful expression.
He had so much to say, words that he had swallowed for far too long.
"I'm sorry," he murmured, voice barely above a whisper.
"For what I said earlier. For not listening the way I should have. For pushing when I should have just…" He sighed, shaking his head. "I hate fighting with you."
He swallowed, lowering his gaze. "I love you," he spoke, his voice raw.
"I love you so much it scares me sometimes. And I know, I know you have things you need to do."
He swallowed a bit before continuing:
"But… I don't want to lose you. I don't want to wake up one day and realize that fate took you somewhere I can't follow… not again."
His hand twitched, aching to reach out, but he clenched it tighter, as if afraid she would slip away if he let himself touch her.
"You are everything to me, Neph. Even when I'm angry, even when we argue. I still want to be with you. I want to be the person who stands by your side, no matter what comes next."
Silence stretched between them, the weight of his words hanging in the air.
He let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head at himself.
"What am I even doing?" he muttered.
"You're asleep, and I'm pouring my damn heart out like some-"
He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face.
As if to seal his words, he leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.
The moment his lips touched her skin, a hand shot up, grabbing the front of his shirt and yanking him downward.
Sunny barely had time to react before Nephis's lips crashed against his.
His eyes widened, shock jolting through his system.
Her grip on his shirt tightened as she pulled him fully onto the bed, their bodies pressing together as the kiss deepened.
There was something desperate about the way she kissed him, as if she had been holding back just as much as he had.
His hands instinctively found their way to her waist, his fingers curling around the fabric of her pajamas.
She was shaking.
aHe could feel the wetness on her cheeks, the silent tears slipping down as she held onto him like he was the only thing keeping her grounded.
They broke apart, breathless, their foreheads resting against each other.
"I'm sorry," they both said at the same time.
.
.
.
.
As they realized what they had just said, they both let out a small laugh, exchanging smiles at each other.
He lifted a hand, brushing away the tear trailing down her cheek with his thumb. "Why are you crying?"
Nephis let out a shaky breath, her fingers still tangled in his shirt. "Because… because I love you. I love you so much, Sunny."
His heart stopped.
She swallowed.
"You don't understand. I love you more than you could ever imagine. More than I ever thought I was capable of."
He let a smal exhale expel from his body as he released a light smile at her.
He cupped her face gently, his thumb tracing the curve of her cheek. "I love you too."
Nephis let out a soft, broken sound before she buried her face into his shoulder, her arms tightening around him.
He held her just as fiercely, his fingers slipping into her hair as he whispered soothingly against her temple.
For a while, they just stayed like that, wrapped up in each other, wanting to expierence the moment forever.
But then Nephis shifted, pulling back just enough to look at him.
Her eyes were still puffy, but something else burned inside them, as if it was desire.
Slowly, she leaned in, pressing another kiss against his lips.
"Mmmm.."
Sunny felt himself melting into it, his grip on her waist tightening as his body responded instinctively.
Her hands moved, slipping up his chest before curling around his shoulders, pulling him closer. The warmth of her breath sent shivers down his spine.
She tilted her head, trailing kisses along his jawline, down to the side of his neck.
Sunny sucked in a sharp breath, his fingers twitching against her back. Then he felt it.
A soft, teasing nip against his skin, followed by the slow, deliberate press of her lips.
A hickey.
Possibly the 15th hickey Neph had given him, but he didn't mind it.
His breath hitched, and Nephis smirked against his skin, her hands sliding down to his chest as she shifted her position slightly.
Sunny swallowed thickly, his fingers tightening around the fabric of her nightshirt.
"Neph…"
She hummed in response, her lips moving lower, pressing soft kisses along his collarbone. "What is it?"
His face was burning, and he knew she could feel how tense he was beneath her touch.
"You're really… something else, you know that?"
Nephis chuckled softly, her breath warm against his skin. "So are you."
She kissed him again, slower this time, taking her time to savor the moment.
He matched her, letting himself drown in the sensation, in the way her lips moved against his, in the way she fit so perfectly against him.
Neither of them spoke for a long moment.
They didn't really need to.
Because in that moment, they both understood the same thing.
They belonged to each other.
No matter what came next, no matter where fate tried to pull them.
This moment was theirs.
And nothing could ever take it away.