Shadow Slave - One Shots

Effie's laughter eventually had to come to an end, much to Sunny's relief.

She had work to do, though for some reason she started cracking up when she stared at Sunny whilst mentioning her vague description of her job.

She had just finished forging a Memory for an Awakened named Telle.

After one final ruffle of his hair, which he endured with a blank expression, Effie finally took her leave, dragging her husband along with her.

Little Ling waved enthusiastically, and Sunny found himself giving a small nod in return.

(yes, i made effie ruffle sunny's hair without him doing anything becuas it was cool)

The shop fell into silence once they were gone.

For a moment, he simply stood behind the counter, running a cloth over a used cup.

Today and yesterday had been a hectic day.

Receiving his fate back, receiving 2 new attributes, getting all his memories back, fate praising him, his friends crying in his arms, and now today.

That really took a toll on him.

Untill the sound of quiet footsteps and the sound of the bell broke him from his head.

(Best girl had arrived.. slightly kidding i'm 50/50 now)

Cassie had arrived.

She stepped inside with her usual grace, her blindfold in place, her expression unreadable.

There was no hesitation in the way she walked - she had long since learned to navigate the world without sight, and due to her new power, she could take the vision of someone's else and see seconds into the future.

Still, he found himself watching her closely, searching for something.

A sign of what, he wasn't sure.

Instead of speaking immediately, he continued wiping the cup in his hands. Only after a beat of silence did he ask,

"…How are you?"

Cassie stopped mid-step.

For the first time since entering, something shifted in her posture.

Her fingers twitched.

The question caught her off guard, but not because it was unexpected.

No - what truly unsettled her was the way he said it.

Why?

Why did he sound so.. calm? Casual, even?

As if he was asking something simple, something mundane.

But it wasn't simple.

Not after everything.

He should be angry.

Yes.

Cassie had told herself this multiple times that he deserves to be more then angry for all the things she's done.

He should resent her, or at least be colder, distant. Yet he was standing there, nonchalantly cleaning a cup, speaking to her as if nothing had happened.

She realized she hadn't answered.

"…I'm fine," she said finally.

Silence stretched between them.

Cassie wasn't sure what to say, but something in her chest tightened.

In the end, she couldn't stop herself.

"I'm sorry," she finally said, the words tasting heavier than she expected.

Sunny didn't even look up. "Don't apologize."

Cassie pressed her lips together. "But-"

"Don't." He placed the cup down, reaching for another. "It happened. I know why you did what you did."

Her fingers curled into fists in her lap. "That doesn't make it right."

"No," he agreed. "But it happened."

Another silence.

Cassie studied him carefully, searching for something- anything.

Guilt twisted in her chest.

The memories of his life had been brutal. She had seen it all.

The Forgotten Shore.

The Crimson Spire.

The countless loops of the Windflower arc.

The cold, pitiless march through the Antarctic hellscape.

All alone.

And yet, here he was. Running a café. Wiping cups.

…When had he become so good at making her feel like she was the unsteady one?

Eventually, she exhaled, relenting. "You're annoyingly reasonable, you know that?"

Sunny arched an eyebrow at her. "I think that's the first time anyone has ever called me that."

Cassie laughed quietly, shaking her head.

She pushed herself up from the chair, brushing down her robes.

"I should go. But-"

She hesitated for a second, then let out a small giggle.

Sunny frowned. "What?"

"Nevermind," she said, shaking her head as she turned toward the door.

Sunny watched her leave, brow furrowed.

'What was that about?'

Little did he know, the eventful meeting of the cohort and the Lord of Shadows was to come.