Chapter Summary: The Cake Knight is the hero we need, but don't deserve.
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Sitting inside a private booth within a cozy cafe, Nephis stared at her watch with impatience.
Just like the last time she checked -about twenty seconds before- it stubbornly insisted there was half an hour left before 5 PM, when the date was officially set to start.
Nephis had meant to play it cool. Arrive just in time, as Cassie had advised, or fashionably late, as Effie and Rain had.
Personally, she thought that arriving early meant arriving in time, arriving in time meant being late, and being late meant missing it. However, she could admit to being inexperienced in this specific topic and bowed down to their greater knowledge of the matter. Though why Cassie and Rain had looked so uncomfortable when she said so and vehemently insisted that they knew all about dating was beyond her. Effie had laughed a lot, at least.
However, nerves had gotten to her, and she had ended up arriving early. A full hour early. The waitress was starting to look at her with pity whenever she came in to check if she wanted anything else.
She brought the cup of coffee to her lips and took a sip in an attempt to calm her nerves.
It didn't work. At all.
What if he thought twice and decided against this at the last minute? What if he wasn't coming? Or if he had fooled her into believing he wanted this and it was actually a prank? What if—
Nephis took another sip and forced her mind to go quiet.
She had been asking herself the same questions all week, and she was tired of arguing with herself.
Instead of wasting any more time thinking in circles, she took another look around the booth. She had practically memorized it at this point, but it was better than the alternative.
The booth was tucked into a quiet corner of the cafe, half-hidden from the rest of the room by a dark synth-wood partition. It was small enough to feel secluded without being cramped, with a cushioned bench running along the wall and a little round table between the two seats.
Warm light spilled from a small lamp overhead, softening the dark synth-wood and casting the booth in a gentle amber glow. The walls were painted in soft hues of brown and green that resembled a forest full of trees. Nephis could faintly hear the conversation and clinking of cups outside, present but unnoticeable if she weren't paying attention to them.
All in all, it felt... normal.
The realization was strange enough that she almost pinched herself to check if she was dreaming.
Her life had been anything but normal for as long as she could remember. Even before Awakening, she had been surrounded by assassins, political intrigue, family responsibilities, and the looming threat of the Sovereigns. Afterward, things had only become more complicated.
Yet here she was, sitting inside a cafe that nobody would have paid a second glance to.
It felt almost jarring to live such a peaceful moment.
A part of her couldn't help but wonder if, in another life, one free of the horrors of the Spell and the Dream Realm, she could have lived a life like this from the beginning. If she could worry about nothing but having fun and building a better future for herself.
What would that alternate life look like? Would her parents be alive? Her grandparents too? Would she have grown up alongside peers like Seishan or Morgan? Still considered the Ghouls her uncles and aunt? Treated the blade as nothing but a fun hobby instead of her only path in life? The scenario presented so many possibilities that it was dizzying.
What about Sunny? In a better world, would he have lived in a house such as the one he had now? Grown up happy and secure, free of the ever-present dangers and privations that had made him into who he was today?
Would they have met in such a world? Become friends? Still fallen in love with each other?
Nephis didn't know. She couldn't know.
Their circumstances had shaped so much of who they were that it was impossible to imagine what they might have become without them.
She herself might have been little more than a sheltered Legacy daughter, protected by her family from everything that could bring her harm and completely ignorant of the cruel reality beyond their safe walls.
Nephis brought the cup to her lips and took another sip, her gaze drifting across the surface of the walls, then to her watch. Still half an hour left.
Maybe she—
Sunny was approaching. She could feel where he was at all times through the Bond, and right now, it was telling her that he was quickly approaching.
After hurriedly placing the cup back on the table and straightening up, she brought out the small handheld mirror she had brought on a whim. Looking into it, she carefully examined her reflection.
Her hair was immaculate, every strand arranged with the kind of precision only a Saint could manage. Dyed black, and her eyes green through a cosmetic Memory to go incognito. Her shoes were spotless, the white jeans free of wrinkles, her black shirt hugged her form just the right amount to draw attention without being indecent, and the white jacket she wore on top was stylish but modest.
She looked good, if Cassie and everyone else she had asked could be trusted. She thought so too, but she was very aware of just how out of touch she was with fashion trends.
Nephis lowered the mirror, internally chastising herself for checking when she had already been assured many times.
It was somewhat ridiculous that she had bothered checking, anyway. She had fought Nightmare Creatures, Saints, and a Sovereign without caring about her appearance in the slightest. She had walked into battles covered in blood and ash and never spared a single thought for whether she looked good or not.
Yet for some reason, at this very moment, she had felt the need to make sure everything was in order. It was absur—
The lock clicked, and the door started opening.
In that brief window of time, she chastised herself for not checking more. What if she had missed something!?
Nephis forced herself to calm down in order not to embarrass herself any further and stood up to offer a greeting, only to stop dead in her tracks.
Black pants fell neatly over polished shoes, paired with a crisp white shirt that stood out against the dark fabric of his jacket. The jacket itself was simple and well-fitted, lending him an understated elegance that was almost jarring compared to the casual, more practical appearance Nephis was accustomed to. They all paired well with the tone of blonde he had dyed his hair and the blue of his eyes.
He looked good. Very good. But there was something else that caught her attention so much.
Sunny had cut his hair.
It was such a small change that she almost felt embarrassed for being surprised by it.
She had heard him complain about his hair countless times before. How it kept getting in the way, how he had to clean it, how hard it was to keep it properly tied due to how long it had gotten. He kept saying that he had to cut it one of these days. Yet he never did.
Now, instead of his usual unruly mane of obsidian hair, it was considerably shorter, down to shoulder length.
The long hair had suited him, but she honestly preferred this. Not only because he looked good, but also because of what it meant.
"Am I that handsome that you cannot help but look?" he joked.
Nephis broke out of her stupor and looked him up and down one more time.
"Yes," she said immediately.
Sunny froze, then turned to look sideways with a sheepish expression, not having expected such a direct answer. There was even a hint of red coloring his pale cheeks.
All of a sudden, Nephis understood why Effie liked teasing him so much. He was just too cute when he got like this.
"You look good too," he said, somewhat awkwardly.
Nephis had trained for years. Fought countless battles. Mastered her body until it became a honed weapon she could wield with millimetric precision. So why wasn't it enough to stop herself from twitching anyway!?
She had received all kinds of compliments throughout her life, and something as simple as this coming from him was enough to make her react like this? Sunny had to be cheating somehow. There was no other explanation.
He had already taken a seat while she was battling with her demons, and he was looking at her, eyes alight with poorly concealed amusement.
"You are early," she said in an attempt to push her embarrassment away.
A quick look at the watch confirmed that there were more than twenty minutes left before the agreed-upon hour.
"So are you," Sunny shot back.
There was an awkward moment of silence as they stared at each other, as if daring the other to try and say something else.
Eventually, she chose to break that silence with a truce offer.
"I don't mention it to the others, and you don't either?"
"Deal," he agreed immediately.
Nephis nodded calmly, the faint smile that had finally broken through her emotionless mask hidden behind her empty cup of coffee as she pretended to take another sip.
She couldn't help it. She had imagined this very day and how it could go so many times since he proposed it, and in none of those scenarios did it start with such a ridiculous agreement. It just fit too well to do anything but smile.
Sunny, as usual, saw it anyway and made sure to let her know that he did through his expression.
Rolling her eyes, she decided to let it go and pressed the button to call the waitress.
The woman arrived quickly, took their order, and promptly left them alone. Nephis could have done without the wink she threw her way after taking a good look at Sunny, though.
Her smile returned a moment later when she realized Sunny was going a little red. It turned out she wasn't the only one who had gotten one.
Maybe she should leave a big tip?
-------------------------------------------
"...and that's how I became the savior of a whole city," he finished. "Any questions?"
Sunny took a sip from his drink to refresh his parched throat while he waited for Neph's reaction. It had been a long story, after all.
"Did you really spit on that Supreme's corpse?" she asked, her eyes alight with amusement.
"I hated the bastard, so yes," he admitted proudly. "Thinking about how I ruined his day still brings a smile to my face from time to time."
Nephis snorted, the amusement in her eyes all the more vivid. It never ceased to amaze him just how much more expressive she had become. From an awkward teenager who didn't even know how to smile properly or tell a joke, to a woman who... well, she remained awkward, and her jokes were still terrible, but she was getting better.
"What are you thinking about? If you don't mind answering."
Sunny shrugged, took another sip, then placed the glass down and smiled.
"How much has changed ever since we met."
Nephis nodded thoughtfully. "Much has."
"Yeah."
She looked at him intently. The overhead light reflected in her eyes, a beautiful green color that couldn't compare to her usual gray.
"I remember that day from time to time," Nephis confessed quietly.
"So do I." His lips quirked upward. "I remember thinking about starting a conversation, but deciding against it. Master Jet had slapped me just hours before because of my Flaw, and I was dreading that you would ask something else that would get me slapped again."
"Should I ask?" she questioned playfully.
"Please, don't," he pleaded. "It's better if that story remains between the two of us."
Nephis shot him a curious stare, but relented.
Thankful, he took another sip from his drink—
"I thought you were a little cute."
Sunny almost spit it out.
Bewildered, he looked back at Nephis, whose self-satisfied smile told him that the timing wasn't an accident. When had his adorable, innocent Neph become so mischievous!? And why was she capable of embarrassing him so easily, dammit!?
"It's true," she continued as though she had said nothing of note. "I was listening to one of Night & Gale's songs. I cannot remember exactly which one, but I think it was about the night. In came a boy seemingly my age, with eyes that resembled an endless night. So I thought you were a little cute."
Sunny's eye twitched. It was either that or sputter indignantly, and he had already embarrassed himself enough for the day.
"Is that a joke about my height?"
Nephis's faint smile returned, and damn her, but it made her face light up in a way that made his heart flutter.
"A compliment. I did say I love your height, didn't I?"
He looked sideways. Suddenly, the wall was a very interesting sight. Very artistic, very stylish.
As expected of a place recommended by Kai. It had taken a little effort to convince the other man that he wanted this and wasn't being forced into it before he reluctantly agreed to help him.
"You did," he admitted when his Flaw forced him to.
Sunny risked looking back at her, only to see the faint smile still in place. Narrowing his eyes, he decided to fight back.
"I thought you were cute too, maybe a little lonely-looking, but that added a little to the charm. I liked the hair color, too. It worked well with your eyes and vibe."
This time, it was her turn to be embarrassed and look at the wall. Served her right!
Sunny brought the glass back to his lips and took a victory sip.
A moment later, she had already regained her bearings and was looking back at him challengingly. It looked like the fight was on, and he wasn't going to be the one to lose it; that was for sure.
Nephis's faint smile widened briefly before she shook her head.
"I thought about dyeing it when I returned from the Forgotten Shore. Permanently, I mean. My hair was black before Awakening, after all. The Spell had already taken so much from me, and now it was also robbing me of my own appearance. I visited my mother the day after I did, too, and thought about how our hair colors were among the few things we had in common." A wistful look passed through her eyes. "I thought about whether she could even recognize me if she were to wake up. She couldn't. I wasn't even born before she became a Hollow, but..."
Nephis trailed off, looking a little into the distance.
Sunny grabbed her hand comfortingly, and her smile became warmer.
"I didn't in the end," she continued after a moment. "It wasn't worth the hassle of always dyeing it or constantly wearing a Memory to do so. The silver hair was also an iconic part of my image, so it made pragmatic sense to keep it that way." Nephis paused briefly, not meeting his eyes. "I also thought that you might not recognize me without it if too much time passed before we met again."
He snorted. "Like that's the only thing I can recognize about you. It's pretty, but—" He trailed off, noticing how satisfied she looked. "Wait... you were fishing for compliments, weren't you?"
The faint smile took on a smug tone, which was answer enough.
"Here I am, baring my heart to you while you are manipulating me like this. What did I do to deserve such treachery?" he lamented dramatically.
"Being yourself," she answered playfully.
"Not sure if that's a compliment or an insult."
Nephis took a slow sip from her drink and smiled mysteriously. "Yes."
He chuckled despite himself.
"My eyes weren't always like this either," he confessed, then adopted a teasing smile. "They were always dark, but it wasn't until my Aspect awakened that they became... what did you call it? An endless night?"
"Who's fishing for compliments now?" she shot back defiantly, a faint hint of red appearing on her cheeks.
"Me," he admitted shamelessly.
They looked at each other for a long moment, the air filled with meaning, so thick it could almost be cut. Then they laughed.
Freely, openly, sincerely.
It was, Sunny decided, a pleasant sound. The kind that he would never grow tired of listening to.
Smiling, he took a look at his watch and decided that it was time to get moving. The movie he had bought tickets for was going to start soon, and while he wouldn't be too sad if they missed it in favor of continuing the pleasant conversation, he also didn't want to ruin his plans.
They paid the bill, Nephis insisted on leaving a big tip for some reason, and then they left, walking without any hurry toward the cinema.
He didn't know who initiated it, or when, only that by the time they arrived, they were holding hands and that he felt no need to break that connection.
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"Prince Charming to Goldilocks. All clear here, over."
"I receive you, Prince Charming. A fight between two Awakened broke out along their expected path, but I had it handled in time. Over."
"Big Bad Wolf to Snow White. A shootout between the police and some gangsters broke out right before the cinema. I kicked their butts and cleaned up the scene before it could escalate. Closed, or however you say it."
"Snow White to everyone. Why did we let Big Bad Wolf pick the code names? All clear on my end. Over."
"Goldilocks to Snow White. She pestered us so much that we gave up. That was a mistake. Over."
"Prince Charming to everyone. Just detected a disturbance in the lobby. I'll get to it. Over."
"Big Bad Wolf to Goldilocks. What are they talking about now? Is he still teasing her about her terrible poetry? Finished."
"Goldilocks to Snow White. Do me a favor and smack her upside the head. Over."
"Snow White. Understood. Over."
"Big Bad Wolf to Goldilocks. You didn't say no. End."
"..."
"..."
"...they are talking about..."
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Nephis grabbed a handful from the popcorn bucket and popped it into her mouth while she watched the movie.
There had been a little commotion before, but it had ended so quickly that they hadn't even bothered to take a look.
"Do you want to know why I use pies?" the character on screen asked sinisterly.
She had read the summary for the movie before entering the theater, paid attention to the recap before it started, and still wasn't sure how anyone could think of such a plot and decide that it was good enough to put into a script, let alone film it. Or how "The Cake Knight Rises" was the most successful movie of the month.
It was fun, at least, in a turn-your-brain-off kind of way.
"How does a no-baking rule even work in a universe filled with so many super-powered crazies?" Sunny whispered, sounding annoyed. "Just look at that guy. The Piester. He bombs orphanages with pies just for fun."
Nephis shook her head. "You don't get it. It isn't that the Cake Knight doesn't want to bake, or can't. Quite the contrary, in fact. It's too easy. It's not what the Cakeman stands for."
Sunny went to pick some popcorn, and their hands met in the bucket. They had decided to share one for the date experience, and so far, it was an embarrassing yet enjoyable experience.
Acting as though nothing had happened -despite his cheeks being red- he ate the popcorn and answered.
"That's nice and all. But then all the people who get baked by the Piester are on his conscience. He could have stopped the Piester at any time, yet valued his morals too much to do so."
Nephis took a sip from the big soda and prepared herself to defend the main character.
"Cakes are too quick. You can't savor all the little... taste sensations."
She stopped and watched as the Cake Knight proceeded to brutally beat down the Piester. Nephis was sure she heard a bone -or a dozen- break.
"So baking is not allowed, but turning their bodies into crackers is?"
"...yes?" Nephis answered uncomfortably.
Sunny's quirked eyebrow told her everything.
Pouting, she leaned back in her chair without saying anything and took another handful of popcorn, much to his amusement.
A smile appeared on her own face a moment later. His smug face was just too funny. Besides, she didn't really care that much about the argument or the movie itself. The two of them spending time together already made it great.
"You see, when forced to choose: Cake or Pie, people show you their TRUE TASTE!"
They leaned forward in interest as the Piester continued his monologue, each word spoken with such gravitas that they couldn't help but listen. The actor playing the character was so good that Nephis wished the one playing herself in those terrible movies was even half as good as he was.
Nephis went to pick another handful of popcorn, then, distracted by the movie, fed Sunny instead. She noticed an odd look appearing on his face from the corner of her eye before it turned into a defiant expression.
Before she had the chance to react, a weight settled on her shoulder, and she turned away from the ongoing monologue to see Sunny's head resting on it, a smug smile clearly plastered on his face.
Narrowing her eyes, she decided that she wasn't going to lose this. It had been an accident on her part, but if he wanted war, then she would give him war.
Smiling confidently, she draped an arm over his side and pulled him closer against her, then rested her cheek on top of his head.
He flinched adorably, his face so red that she almost thought his head would start smoking. She focused on that instead of the fact that she was likely the same or worse.
Why did they have to be so damn competitive!?
So there they sat, so close together that there was practically no separation between them. Acting as though they were a loving couple on a date instead of two broken people trying to make sense of the mess -as Sunny insisted on calling it- that was their relationship.
Nephis was too stubborn to back down, and so was he.
Although she had to admit it wasn't unpleasant...
Soon enough, she stopped thinking about how embarrassed their current position made her feel and instead started enjoying it. The movie's first part hadn't been too good, but the second half had a certain charm to it.
Maybe they should watch it again soon? A few more times, just to properly enjoy it? Yes, that sounded like a good idea.
"I am nothing like you! You're a psychopath who bakes for money!"
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"Snow White to everyone. Why are they cuddling while watching The Cake Knight Rises? Over."
"Big Bad Wolf to Snow White. They are stupid. Concluded."
"Charming Prince to Snow White. You could interpret it as a love story. One between Cakeman and justice. Over."
"Goldilocks to Snow White. They are stupid and stubborn. Over."
"Snow White to Prince... Hold on… I need reinforcements. A Category Three Gate is going to open three kilometers away from here. Over."
"Goldie Locks to Snow White. Understood. Already requesting the backup team to take over watch duty. Good thing I brought the EMP blockers to make sure they don't receive the alarm in the cinema. Over."
"Big Bad Wolf to everyone. What the Spell is wrong with these two? We've already dealt with five different disasters! Their date started two hours ago! Done."
"Goldilocks to Big Bad Wolf. Fate is an asshole. Over."
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Sunny cut into the well-done piece of meat and brought it to his mouth.
Well salted, with enough spices to be noticed but not enough to overwhelm the flavor, and most importantly, it didn't have a stupid, self-aggrandizing name. He had thought that impossible in high-end restaurants.
"I like your food more," Nephis said suddenly.
Pulled out of his thoughts by her words, he looked up. She was staring at the... well, he didn't know what it was called and hadn't paid attention either. The point was, she was staring at it as though it had personally offended her.
"Is it bad?" he asked curiously.
Nephis smirked, bringing the glass of wine to her lips. "No, but I still prefer your cooking."
"Is that the truth or just your attempt to make me cook for you more often?" he asked playfully.
"Drat," she drawled dryly. "My evil plan, uncovered just like that."
Sunny lifted his chin haughtily. "Did you expect any less? Besides being the most honest man in the world, devilishly handsome, charming, and cunning, you could also say I'm the best detective in the world. Two worlds, even."
There was a brief moment of silence as she looked at him oddly, then started laughing. It was little more than a snort, so small and short that he would have missed it if he hadn't been looking at her. It was enough to make his heart flutter anyway.
Seeing this more open, playful side of her was just too cute. All part of her evil plans, he was sure.
"You know, I actually thought about becoming one. Back before I Awakened," he confessed all of a sudden.
Nephis blinked, a look of disbelief on her face before she stared at the glass of wine as though asking herself if she had drunk too much.
"Don't look at me like that. You know I'm telling the truth," he grumbled.
"I just... have a hard time picturing you as one."
"I could take offense to that! But yeah, I can hardly picture it either," he admitted reluctantly.
Nephis smiled and placed a hand on top of his, squeezing comfortingly.
"I'm sorry if I made it sound like I didn't believe you were capable of it. Or that you wouldn't do well. I just don't picture you as one, considering your personality."
He gave her a faux-offended look. "And now you are politely calling me a criminal."
"Is it not true?"
"...I hate my Flaw. No."
Her lips quirked upward. "Why? If you don't mind answering."
Sunny leaned back in his chair and shrugged nonchalantly. He took a sip from the glass full of juice while he thought of a way to answer.
"The Outskirts were bad. You know it, I know it. Nothing new there. So I had to think of a way to get out." He shrugged again, trying to ignore the tightness that suddenly came over his throat. "The military is always recruiting to fight Nightmare Creatures, and the police are short-staffed too, so those were the only reasonable choices for someone like me. The police had better chances of survival, so that was my pick. Besides..."
He paused briefly, images of a small, cramped house flashing through his mind. Resting in bed against his mother, with Rain between them as she narrated stories to them.
"My mother enjoyed detective stories. Whenever she got hold of one, she would be so excited to read it that I... Well. I thought about how awesome it would be if I became one myself in the future. Stop evildoers, put corrupt officers behind bars, and all of that. Make the world a little better place while I'm at it."
"For what it's worth, I think you would have done well."
Sunny hesitated briefly, then muttered a quiet, "Thank you."
She squeezed his hand again, then smiled teasingly.
"Knowing you, however, I'm sure you would get a terrible reputation as a tough, no-nonsense detective. Fighting criminals, no matter who you have to offend along the way. Bet they would call you the 'Devil Detective' or something like that."
Sunny rolled his eyes, fighting to keep the smile threatening to break through his annoyed expression.
"I bare my heart to you, and this is what I get? The great Changing Star, mocking a poor Outskirts rat who just wants to make the world a better, more just place."
"Where is that poor Outskirts rat, though? I cannot see him."
"Right here..." He stopped when realization settled in, then glared at Nephis. "Really?"
She laughed, and before long, he joined in.
There was a brief lull in the conversation as they continued eating their dinner. They stole glances at each other, their hands meeting for too long when they picked up the salt or anything else on the table, and snatched pieces of food from each other's plates.
It was... pleasant. More pleasant than he had imagined the day would be.
If he was honest, he had been expecting a disaster or two to interrupt them already.
"What about you?" Sunny asked suddenly.
"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.
"I already talked about what I would have done if I remained a Mundane. So what about you? Spell, you talked about finding another purpose once this whole revenge business is done. So what is it?"
Nephis did not answer immediately.
She was looking into her cup, idly swirling the red liquid with a distant gaze. Her brows scrunched tight, her lips drawn into a thin line that almost made them invisible. After thinking for a full minute, she shook her head sadly.
"I don't know."
"You don't? Did you never think about it?"
Nephis shook her head again. "I did. It was just so long ago that I... I already forgot what it was."
"There must be something," he insisted. "You like music, right? Didn't you dream about becoming a singer or playing an instrument?"
"No," she answered immediately. "I do like it, but that's not something I ever saw myself doing."
Sunny was about to suggest another thing when he saw her suddenly freeze, a sheepish expression passing across her face briefly before she schooled it back into her usual composed one.
If she thought herself fast enough to fool him, then she had better think twice.
The Devil Detective never let a lead escape him!
Damnation! The name had stuck with him.
"What is it? You clearly remembered something," he pressed, eager to tease her about her childhood dreams too.
Nephis looked aside, not daring to meet his eyes.
"Well... I always liked listening to the stories my grandmother told me. So I thought that maybe, when I'm older... I could become a writer. Make up my own stories. Worlds far apart from ours where none of our problems exist. Valiant knights and rightful queens and kings. Stories of the kind that she might have enjoyed."
He tilted his head, trying to picture Nephis writing a story. One about characters who overcame all odds through nothing but their endless conviction and proclaiming that if something was their will, then nobody could stop them. Maybe they would talk about their philosophy of combat while they were at it, too. Or lead a ragtag group of rebels to victory against a tyrant.
The thought alone was funny enough that he started laughing.
"I know it's ridiculous," she said quietly, her expression downcast.
Sunny stopped and shook his head. "Sorry, I shouldn't have laughed. I just found the idea too funny."
Pouting a little, Nephis took another sip from her wine.
"Here I am, baring my heart to you, and you laugh at me. Truly treacherous of you."
"Did you ever write anything?" he asked curiously.
Nephis hesitated before answering. "Yes, a few short stories. Though calling it writing would be putting it generously."
"The main character was a perfect princess named Bephis or something who was always right and never made a mistake?"
"...I was five."
Sunny snorted, not missing the smile on her face.
"Can I take a look?"
Nephis pouted again. "Didn't you laugh at me enough already?"
"I'm asking honestly," he insisted, smirking a little. "That way I can be all smug and obnoxious when your works become famous, and I can say that I already knew you before you became trending."
"What makes you so sure I will? That I will even live long enough to make that dream come true?"
His smirk became wider. "It's you. If you want to do something, then you will do it no matter what. After all, if that is your—"
"Don't you dare say it... if you want."
He smiled, and soon enough, she returned it.
They spent the rest of the dinner talking. About stupid things, important things, the past and the future, dreams and tribulations, and so much more. Enough to let them forget, at least for the moment, everything that awaited them beyond this day.
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"Goldilocks to Snow White. Are you recording this? Over."
"Snow White to Goldilocks. I left a camera recording them. It will be useful the next time Big Brother complains about my movie tastes. Or when Big Sister insists that you can never let your guard down. Over."
"Prince Charming to everyone. They are cute and all, but stop wasting time and help me! This Nightmare Creature has been trying to chew my face off for the last five minutes!"
"Big Bad Wolf to Prince Charming. You didn't say over. Finished."
"Spell you and help me already!"
"Goldilocks to everyone. How about we suggest they have their next date in the Dream Realm? I'm almost sure it will be less dangerous that way. Over."
"""Agreed."""
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The air was crisp and cold outside as Nephis walked side by side with Sunny out of the restaurant.
Lights could be seen everywhere as night arrived in NQSC.
Already, she could see people walking about, prepared for a night of fun and revelry. Once upon a time, she would have thought it a waste of time. There were so many productive things they could be doing instead that it sounded absurd. What was the point of having a little fun when you could be improving yourself instead?
Thankfully, she had already grown out of that mindset. The body and mind needed rest. Fun. Leisure. Treating them as expendable was a quick way to become a machine that could do nothing but think of...
Nephis shook her head to banish the thought and looked sideways at Sunny.
That look alone reinforced her decision.
If she had kept that mindset, she wouldn't have had the chance to enjoy a date with the man she loved.
Without saying anything, she extended her hand and caught his. He looked at her briefly, but didn't say anything either.
"Where next?" she asked a moment later.
Sunny smiled teasingly. "We barely left the previous stop, and you already want to go to the next? How greedy."
"You knew what you were getting into," she answered shamelessly.
He snorted, then finally answered, pointing toward a skyscraper. "There."
"What is there?"
A smile drew itself across his lips. "Our final stop."
The shadows swallowed them as soon as he finished speaking, and a second later, they reappeared at the top of the building.
Up there, the wind was even colder, but her divine lineage and Aspect made her more than resistant enough to the cold to not be bothered by it.
Sunny stepped away from her and dismissed the cosmetic Memory that was changing his hair color and eyes. He looked good with blonde hair, but his mane of obsidian was far better in her opinion, and those abyssal eyes she could lose herself in were far better than blue ones.
Nephis dismissed her own Memory and noticed the way he had looked at her for a moment too long. It was good to know that she had the same effect on him that he had on her.
She shot him an inquisitive stare next, wondering what it was that he had planned.
As if on cue, Sunny spread his arms theatrically. "When thinking about how to end this marvelous date of ours, I couldn't help but think of an activity I quite enjoy."
Nephis tilted her head and looked toward the door that would grant them access to the building.
"We are here to rob this place?"
The theatrical air left Sunny as he sputtered indignantly. "What!? No! Why would I enjoy that!?"
Exactly the reaction she was looking for. Teasing him was way too fun.
Still playing pretend, she shrugged. "You like making money and proclaimed how your Outskirts rat pride doesn't allow you to leave expensive things alone."
"That was one time! And it was a joke!" he complained.
Nephis finally couldn't hold herself back any longer and started laughing.
"Yes, yes. Laugh at me. Here I am, worrying about making this the perfect date, and you are laughing at my expense."
"Sorry." She didn't sound particularly sorry.
Sunny grumbled a little more, but his smile made it clear he wasn't really annoyed.
"Anyway," he said a moment later, deciding to move past the earlier 'misunderstanding.' "What do you think about flying?"
Nephis considered it for a brief moment before answering. "It's an activity like any other for me. It was a little exhilarating at first, but my Flaw doesn't make it too pleasant."
He looked at her for a long moment, looking like he was reconsidering something before he soldiered on.
"Well, luckily for you, I have a solution for that."
He stepped toward her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
[You have acquired a Memory, Emerald Feathers.]
"I was going to gift it to Rain when she becomes a Master, but she can wait a little longer. If you summon it, it will grant you wings long enough for what I have in mind."
"Which is?"
Sunny spread his arms again. "I love flying. The wind against my face, the distance from the problems below, the sense of freedom. I also know just how competitive you are."
Nephis shot him an incredulous stare, as if saying, I am the competitive one here? But he ignored it shamelessly.
"So I thought about a little game that could be fun for the two of us." He pointed at another skyscraper ten kilometers away from them. "A little race. You against me. I even prepared a reward for you if you win."
"When I win," she retorted with faux arrogance, making him smile. "What about your reward?"
He shrugged mischievously. "You'll owe me one."
So, a favor that could take any shape in exchange for a reward she didn't know what it was or whether it would be worth it? Fine. She wasn't going to lose anyway.
Maybe he was a little right about her being competitive...
"On one condition. You cannot use Shadow Step to cheat, if you want."
"Who do you take me for?" he asked, sounding offended but pointedly not looking at her.
Smiling, she invoked the Memory and shot up right into the sky. The indignant cry he let out right after told her that he had meant to do the same and she had beaten him to it.
Like she was going to fall for that.
For the first few seconds, she had the advantage. Not by much, but enough.
She could see Sunny below and behind her, his own shadow wings beating with powerful, unnatural strength as he accelerated into the night.
Nephis smiled and pushed herself harder.
The skyscraper in the distance seemed almost deceptively close. Ten kilometers was nothing to Saints, but flying at full speed while navigating a cityscape was an entirely different matter. Buildings rose around them like mountains of glass and steel. Neon lights blurred beneath her, the streets becoming little more than glowing lines.
With all those obstacles and the simple fact that his Transcendent wings were better than the Ascended Memory she was using, it wasn't long before he was close to catching up, even though he wasn't going at full speed.
The two of them raced through the night, weaving between skyscrapers and shooting over rooftops. Nephis quickly realized that brute force alone wasn't going to be enough, not when he could go faster at any time he wanted. She would have to compensate.
Sunny's wings had greater acceleration, better maneuverability, and considerably more endurance.
Nephis adjusted her posture, employing every tidbit she knew about physics and the way the air behaved to make it work with her instead of against her. The result wasn't as impressive as she would have liked, but it was still enough to give her an edge for now.
For several glorious seconds, she had the lead. And then a shadow wall appeared in front of her.
She twisted her body to avoid it with plenty of time to spare, only to see another one manifest a moment later. She changed direction again. Then another appeared. And another.
By the time she finally escaped the maze, Sunny had already passed her. He even went as far as to look back at her and throw her a smug grin.
Behind him, an entire obstacle course of shadows was left, stretched through the sky.
"He agreed not to cheat with Shadow Step, but said nothing about Shadow Manifestation," she muttered. "That treacherous shadow."
She was going to make him pay for that.
Nephis flew through the maze, weaving through one gap after another and making them when she didn't find one. Wasting precious seconds all the while.
It was infuriating, unfair, and... fun.
Nephis's lips curved upward at the thought.
She couldn't remember the last time she had done something like this. This was no fight, strategy meeting, or annoying political event. Just a fun competition between herself and someone she loved. Just fun for the sake of fun.
Nephis's smile grew wider, then she pushed herself harder.
She wanted to have more fun, and winning was a sure way to do it.
However, a problem made itself known soon. Sunny was already close to the skyscraper, dangerously so. He was going to win if she didn't do anything soon, which was completely unacceptable.
Nephis inhaled slowly, then spoke softly.
"Wind, howl swiftly."
The air exploded as a powerful current surged behind her and hurled her forward, her body shooting through the sky like an arrow.
More walls emerged to block her way, but she did not hesitate to destroy them with Shaping, rendering that annoying advantage of his useless, her smile growing wider with each meter she closed between herself and Sunny.
Soon enough, she was almost on top of him, and Nephis's excitement rose with every beat of her heart.
Then her eyes widened as she realized just how close they were to the finish line. There was no way she could overtake him before he reached the roof, and she didn't want to harm him to win.
Unless...
The wind changed direction.
A little further ahead, Sunny's eyes widened as he realized what she was about to do.
"Neph, don't you dare—"
"Wind, roar!"
The gust struck her from the side, hurling her toward him too fast to be avoided in time.
Knowing that she couldn't win otherwise, and that he would be millimeters away from the finish line by the time she arrived, she had taken the only possible course of action.
Tackling him.
Two Saints collided in mid-air, right before a tall skyscraper. If anyone were to look up at that moment, they wouldn't have believed the sight.
They crashed onto the rooftop in a tangled heap of limbs and feathers, rolling wildly until they finally came to a stop. None of them were hurt; their transcendent bodies were too resistant for something so mundane to be a problem.
Nephis opened her eyes to find herself looking at a pair of black ones.
Sunny was right beneath her, lying atop the roof with her knees planted on either side of his waist while she sat on his stomach. And they were close, so close...
For a few seconds, they simply stared at each other, then Sunny snorted.
Nephis tried to hold herself back, but failed and started laughing.
Sunny started laughing too, and soon enough, neither of them could stop. Every time their laughter seemed to die down, one of them would look at the other, and it would start all over again.
Eventually, she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
"I think I won."
Sunny stared at her in disbelief. "No. I did. I cannot lie, so it's the truth."
A chuckle escaped her at the petulant way he had said it. He could be so cute at times.
"A draw, then?" she proposed. "I get my reward, and you get your favor."
Sunny hesitated for a moment before sighing. "Fine, but know that I'll win the next one."
"A rematch already? I'm in." She smirked. "But it will be me who wins."
"Yes, and no way!"
They shared a short laugh, and suddenly, Nephis realized that she was still straddling him. Sunny seemed to realize it at the exact same time, but made no effort to move away. If anything... their faces were closer now.
Sunny swallowed like a man dying of thirst, trying to avoid her gaze. "Here is the Memory I wea—"
The words died off on their own, his eyes lost in hers. Nephis couldn't look away either. There had always been something mesmerizing about his eyes, and now that they were so close, she couldn't look away.
She could feel his warmth beneath her, hear his heartbeat, feel her own beating just as quickly.
Nephis didn't know who moved first.
Only that a second later, their lips met.
Softly.
Tentatively.
For just a brief moment.
And yet, it was enough to know she had never tasted anything so sweet.
Their first had been a mistake.
Born out of a desperate wish to prove to him she meant what she had promised. The only way she could think of to show she truly loved him while proving the opposite.
It had been selfish, cruel, and one-sided.
But this one... this one felt perfect.
-------------------------------------------
Sunny felt like he was burning up.
Like he was a man who had suffered from a terrible fever all of his life and had only now finally found a cure. A balm so miraculous it banished away any and all ailments.
They separated a moment later, and he felt the ailment return with a vengeance. As if to mock him for giving it up so easily.
He panted, finding his breath taken away despite how short the kiss had lasted, and finally looked at her.
Nephis's face was flushed in a way that made her more beautiful than ever, her eyes tracing his lips with clear intent. Those gray orbs moved to him next, a question drawn across them.
She wanted more. So much more. And she was asking if he did too, if he was sure that he wanted this, reassuring him that she would understand if he didn't. Despite being so smart, she could be such an idiot at times.
He smiled, and their lips met again.
Sunny wasn't sure who had done it the first time, but this one, this one was all his.
The first should have been enough.
A chaste kiss, a nice, pure way to end a date that had gone better than he had ever expected. It was the kind of thing to remember fondly in the future. To think about what a great day it had been. Think about how sweetly it had all started.
Sunny knew himself and his greed too well to just stop like that.
They separated again on account of needing to breathe. Never had he lamented needing such a thing as much as he did at that moment.
He didn't have the chance to complain about it any longer before she claimed his lips again, with a hunger that matched his.
Sunny answered in kind, propping himself up on his elbows to get a better angle. She moved too, almost lying on top of him to draw herself closer until he could feel every millimeter of her body pressed against his.
The hunger within him grew, demanding more. He deepened the kiss, knowing not what he was looking for, only that he wanted it.
He lost track of time up there, on that rooftop, among the darkness of night and beneath the stars.
Only when he felt her hand tugging at his shirt did he return to reality. The hunger in her eyes wasn't satiated; if anything, it had grown. He knew because his had too.
He deepened the kiss again, about to grab his shirt himself, or rip it apart if he had to. He wanted this, wanted it so much that it hurt. He tried to ignore the voice in the back of his mind telling him this was a mistake. Telling him that he was falling into a trap. Telling him that she didn't really love him, that nobody did.
Sunny was beyond—
That was when he heard it.
"..."
A whisper in the night. So quiet he thought he had imagined it.
Sunny continued through it, chalking it up to his enhanced senses picking up someone talking within the skyscraper. Then it happened again.
"...urv..."
He stopped, suddenly noticing just how quickly his heart was beating and how much he was sweating.
"Sur...."
Nephis was looking at him, concern clear in her eyes, likely noticing something in his expression.
He tried to reassure her, to say that there was nothing wrong, that he was just imagining things. He almost did, until the smell of salt hit his nose. So pungent and real that he almost believed it was there.
"Survive..."
Suddenly, the ground beneath him wasn't made of cement and mortar anymore, but of red coral. He wasn't wearing the clothes he had chosen carefully after much thought, but black armor. In his previously free hand, a tachi now rested.
"Survive. Until you..."
Nephis was wearing armor too. She was covered in grime and blood, gray-steel eyes looking at him with a mix of regret, shame, and something else he couldn't place. Any moment now, she would walk away. Step into the Gateway and leave him all alone.
"Survive. Until you come back to me, you must survive."
The words kept echoing inside his mind, louder with each iteration until his own thoughts were drowned out by them.
Was... was any of this real?
Did he imagine it all? Becoming a Saint? Eirene? The Seed? The Tears? Leaving the Forgotten Shore?
Was he still at the Crimson Spire? Watching helplessly as it crumbled while his broken body refused to move any more? Fantasizing one final time before his wretched life finally came to an end? Was he—
Sunny, through an effort of will he didn't know himself capable of, forced his mind to go quiet.
Forced it to stop spewing any more poison. Forced himself to stop imagining the worst-case scenario at all times just so it would hurt less when it came true. Forced himself to stop lying to himself.
It was real. What had happened today. The past few months. Everything else.
All of it was real. Or at least real enough for there to be no difference between reality and fake.
He opened his eyes. He didn't even remember having closed them and was immediately met by her concerned gaze.
Nephis was still close, close enough to help in case of need, but not close enough to make him feel pressured.
"Are... are you all right?" she asked tentatively, almost sounding afraid of what his answer would be.
Sunny swallowed through a throat that felt parched beyond words.
He was about to smile, throw a witty remark or irreverent joke to make it look less serious than it was. Say that he was fine, that he had just imagined hearing something and freaked out.
"I'm not," he said instead.
He had forced himself to stop lying, after all.
"I'm not fine, Neph." He took a breath that felt like a razor scraping against his throat. "I haven't been fine for a long, long time."
Tentatively, she approached him, every step slow and telegraphed, as if asking him if it was all right to come closer.
He only beckoned her to do so.
"I don't think I will be fine for a long time either." Once started, the words didn't seem willing to stop coming out. "I may never be. There is just so... much going on inside my own brain. It feels like I'm a single man fighting a whole legion. Like I'm drowning. Like I'm burning up. Like at every step I take, there is a devil on my shoulder telling me just how pointless everything is."
Nephis sat beside him against the parapet of the skyscraper, close, but not too close.
He scooted over on his own until they were sitting side by side.
"I'm broken, Neph." He made to smile, to chuckle, to joke, to do anything, but nothing came. "You were right. I'm broken."
She didn't say anything. She just sat there by his side, offering her quiet support, something to hold on to when everything else in the world seemed to be on the verge of crumbling away. And he loved her for that.
Sunny wasn't sure how long they remained on that cool rooftop. Among the cold wind, the stars, and the moon. Only that eventually, the world seemed to settle back into place.
"I'm sorry," he whispered roughly. "For ruining it."
"There is nothing to be sorry about," she whispered back. "I pushed you too far. Moved too fast. I know how bad it is for you, and I still was too impatient."
His shoulders shook, whether from laughing or resisting the urge to cry, he didn't know. Only that he was both thankful and regretful of how considerate she could be with someone as wretched as him.
"I wanted it too," he said sincerely. "I still do. Believe me, I do. I just... I cannot do it now. I'm not ready."
She smiled at him, warm and understanding, and his heart fluttered.
"I will wait as long as it takes."
Sunny was silent for a long moment, enough for the sun to start peeking out behind them.
"I love you," he said with as much sincerity as he could convey.
"I love you too, Sunny. Always."
Their lips met one more time.